By Josh Farley
Kitsap Sun
October 29, 2007
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2007/oct/29/accused-sk-pastor-custody-after-turning-himself/
The pastor of a South Colby church wanted by the Kitsap County Sheriff's Office in connection with allegations of sexual misconduct with young church members turned himself in this morning.
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| Robbin Leeroy Harper |
Robbin Leeroy Harper, 60, was booked into the Kitsap County jail on suspicion of two counts of second-degree rape of a child, and he is being held on $500,000 bail. He turned himself in with legal representation — attorney Thomas Weaver of Bremerton, according to the sheriff's office. He is scheduled to make an initial appearance in court Tuesday at 3 p.m.
Sheriff's Deputy Scott Wilson said detectives believe there are at least two victims, though a third person has reportedly been in contact with the office. The sheriff's office released Harper's name on Friday after serving a search warrant at his South Kitsap home. Harper was not home at the time, and sheriff's deputies announced that there was an ongoing search for him. A friend of Harper's contacted law enforcement Saturday to say Harper had not left the area.
Harper is the pastor of The Church in South Colby, according to the sheriff's office. The church is listed under the same address as Harper's residence, 3525 Arvick Road SE. The property is accessible only by a gate and is surrounded by an approximately 6-foot-high wooden fence.
The investigation began on Friday when one of his alleged victims, now an adult, called 911 to report a sex offense. Investigators determined that she probably wasn't the only victim, that victims might have been assaulted more than once, and that the sexual abuse has been going on since some of the girls were 12 or 13, according to a press release.
Further details will be posted as they become available.
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