Lakeland Church Volunteer under Investigation, My Fox Tampa Bay, October 28, 2007

Lakeland Church Volunteer under Investigation

My Fox Tampa Bay
October 28, 2007

http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=4764075&version=3&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1

LAKELAND - An ongoing criminal investigation into allegations of abuse of former and current middle and high school aged students at the First Baptist Church at the Mall has stunned the ministry.

Lakeland Police are investigating allegations that a youth minister abused young boys.

"I think there's a lot of hurt and distrust because it's so important to a ministry to have a basis of integrity, and that's what we've always tried to maintain," says Timothy Parcheta, Sr., executive director of the First Baptist Church at the Mall.

Parcheta says the church is fully cooperating with the Lakeland Police Department, which began investigating the sexual abuse claims last week, after receiving a complaint.

"The victim we're investigating that came forward was a juvenile, and now that individual is an adult," says Lakeland Police Department spokesman Jack Gillen.

First Baptist did confirm that the subject of the police investigation worked as a volunteer with their student ministry.

"That particular individual, we asked him not to be on the campus on the First Baptist Church at the Mall during this time, and not to contact our people," Parcheta says, adding that the church is taking measures to protect and ensure the safety of children on its campus.

Church members we spoke with told us they weren't allowed to go on camera but said they felt First Baptist is a good church, and this case is about one bad person.

Police aren't giving very many details about the man under investigation, other than to say all of his alleged victims are males, and they're looking for any information that would help.

"We're asking for anyone who is aware of any victimization that could have possibly occurred to come forward and notify the Lakeland Police Department," Gillen says.

Anyone with knowledge of possible victims is asked to contact Sgt. Gary Gross with the Lakeland Police Department at (863) 834-8980.