By Mark Caudill
News Journal
July 22, 2008
http://www.centralohio.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/B7/20080722/NEWS01/807220308/1002
MANSFIELD — Only when John Picard left Mansfield did one of his alleged victims feel strong enough to talk to police.
"It helped when he moved. The only contact we had was over the phone," the 28-year-old woman said. "It gave me the space I needed to come forward."
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| Bond was set at $250,000 Monday for John Picard, a former Mansfield youth pastor accused of 10 counts of sexual battery involving a teenage parishioner at his church. Photo by Dave Polcyn |
The News Journal is not identifying the woman because she's the alleged victim of a sex crime.
A former Mansfield youth pastor, Picard, 40, of Springboro pleaded innocent Monday to 10 counts of sexual battery at his arraignment in Mansfield Municipal Court. Magistrate Don Teffner set a $250,000 cash bond.
"If you are charged with a felony, the only plea you can enter is not guilty," Teffner said. "All felony cases must be subsequently handled by common pleas court."
Picard is accused of having sexual relations with a teenage parishioner starting in 1992 when she was 13 and continuing until she reached adulthood. Picard was a youth pastor at Grace Brethren Church on Marion Avenue at the time.
Mansfield police Lt. Allen Vandayburg and Detective Jeff Shook arrested Picard on Thursday, then picked him up Saturday after he waived his extradition hearing.
Picard stood out among the 15 inmates who were led into municipal court for arraignments. He wore a red-and-white county jail jumpsuit to indicate he is a maximum-security inmate. He was the only one with that designation.
Teffner flipped through Picard's paperwork.
"Only 10 (charges) at this point," the magistrate said. "If they run these consecutive, you're looking at 50 years."
Police previously said they think there are more victims than the 28-year-old who called the News Journal. Picard initially used her as a baby sitter.
The alleged victim said Picard found ways to keep a hold on her.
"He would use Scripture verses to maintain that I was a God-given gift to him, that God gave me to him to fulfill his needs," the woman said.
She said she questioned Picard, but ultimately believed him.
"It sounded believable to me (even) a year ago," the woman said.
Police said Picard broke off from Grace Brethren Church about four years ago and started his own church. The 28-year-old went with him; she said the church disbanded only a couple of weeks ago. Her last contact with Picard was July 12 by phone.
"He found a way to integrate himself into every part of my life," the woman said.
She said she hopes Picard's influence over her is finished.
"I was relieved, actually (when he was arrested)," the 28-year-old said. "I just felt free from something. I've been in this trap for years."
The woman said she hoped Picard would be trapped behind bars for many more.
"I think he should be in prison the rest of his life," she said. "There should be no mercy for someone who would twist the Scriptures in a way to hurt children."
Contact: mcaudill@nncogannett.com, 419-521-7219.
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