By Marcus K. Garner
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
March 26, 2008
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/northfulton/stories/2008/03/26/pastor_0326.html
An Alpharetta minister arrested for allegedly molesting two teens over eight years is out of jail.
The Rev. Derek Gillett, pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Forsyth County, was released from the Cherokee County jail last week on $50,000 bond.
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| The Rev. Derek Gillett, Pastor of the Cornerstone Community Chapel in Alpharetta. Photo by Cherokee Sheriff's Office |
Gillett, who had been a one-time Christian youth leader at another Forsyth County church, was charged earlier this month with two counts of aggravated child molestation and two counts of sodomy.
Initially, he'd been denied bond, but Cherokee County District Attorney Gary Moss agreed to the release under a stringent set of conditions.
"He's got to wear a GPS monitor at all times," Moss said.
Among other conditions, Gillett is prohibited from going near the victims or the pair of witnesses who reported him to police. He also can't have any unsupervised contact with any child under the age of 16.
While he awaits an indictment and court hearing, he must remain at home.
Moss said April 14 is the earliest a grand jury can hand down an indictment against Gillett.
Marc Cunat, Gillett's attorney, did not immediately return calls Wednesday morning.
Gillett, visited Tuesday at the Alpharetta home where he is staying, declined to comment about the case. He said he had not been in contact with the church he'd founded just last year.
He formed Cornerstone last May after leaving Midway United Methodist Church in Alpharetta, where he was a volunteer youth leader.
Nearly 100 members left Midway with Gillett to form the new church, UMC officials said.
Cornerstone members recently moved to Midway Elementary, just north of Gillett's former church, and met there twice before his arrest.
Church members met on March 12 and informed the school the next day that they'd no longer be using the facility for service, Forsyth County School officials said.
There was no sign that any Cornerstone members returned to their former church, Midway pastor the Rev. Calvin Haney said.
"This past Sunday was Easter, and I don't believe I saw any of them," Haney said.
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