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	FBI Agent Testifies in Hosanna Trial By Debra Lemoine The Advocate November 29, 2007 http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/11928296.html AMITE — A former FBI agent testified this morning that Austin "Trey" Bernard III said his job as a youth pastor at the now defunct Hosanna Church in Ponchatoula was to desensitize the children to touch in order to gauge their reaction to sexual contact. Bernard, 39, of Hammond is the first of the seven former church members indicted in 2005 to go to trial in the 21st Judicial District Court. He is charged with aggravated rape. Lisa Marie Frietas, who is now a federal prosecutor in Washington D.C., also testified that Bernard said one of the games the children would play was being blindfolded and tickled to judge their reaction. Frietas testified that Trey Bernard, during their interviews, began asking her and another agent why his mind would go blank when he talked about the things that happened in the church. Trey Bernard then gave his reason: "He said, 'I think I know what I did was wrong,'" Frietas testified. Trey Bernard also told the agents about acts performed at the church that involved the alleged rape of his young daughter, Freitas said. Trey Bernard named many of the others suspects indicted, Freitas said. The other suspects, Louis Lamonica, Robbin Lamonica, Al Pierson, Patricia Pierson, Paul Fontenot and Christopher Labat, are out of jail on bond and awaiting trial dates. The alleged abuse of three children — two boys and one girl — was at the center of the 2005 investigation. Freitas also testified that Bernard said his now ex-wife Nicole Bernard participated in the alleged abuse. In taped statements by the three children involved in the Hosanna cases played in court, none had named Nicole Bernard as a participant. Frietas also testified that Trey Bernard escorted FBI agents and Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's deputies around the church pointing out places where child rape allegedly occurred. Before Frietas' hour-long testimony, a 40-minute taped interview of a third listed victim was played in court. The 2005 interview of a then 18-year-old man offered more specific details of abuse than the interviews of two younger children played in court Wednesday. The 18-year-old is considered a state witness to the abuse of the younger children, but Trey Bernard is not charged with abusing him. This young man, now 21, is expected to testify he was never abused if called by the state to the witness stand, defense and prosecution attorneys have said in court. More testimony from state witnesses is expected today. Contact: dlemoine@theadvocate.com
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