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Former Oregon Youth Pastor Held on Sex Charges Associated Press, carried in Seattle Post-Intelligencer October 30, 2008 http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/385467_oregonpastor30.html BAKER CITY, Ore. -- A Baker County grand jury has indicted a former Nazarene Church youth pastor on 23 sex crimes, 13 more than police had originally charged him with. Dean B. Barnes, 35, was arraigned last week before Judge Greg Baxter and is held in the Baker County Jail with bail set at $750,000. He is charged with two counts of sodomy, six counts of unlawful sexual penetration, five counts of first-degree sexual abuse, five counts of second-degree sexual abuse and five counts of third-degree sexual abuse, said Union County District Attorney Tim Thompson. Thompson is handling the case at the request of Matt Shirtcliff, Baker County district attorney, because Shirtcliff is a longtime member of the Nazarene Church. Thompson said the crimes, listed in separate incidents, involved a 16-year-old girl and took place in Baker County between March 11, 2008, and July 30, 2008. The age of consent for sexual contact in Oregon is 18. Thompson said police have identified one other potential victim. Officers are continuing to examine evidence seized in a search of Barnes home. The sodomy, sexual penetration and first-degree sexual abuse charges are Class A felonies that carry mandatory minimum sentences upon conviction. Barnes will return to court for a pretrial conference on Nov. 24. Gary Kiyuna of Nyssa is his court-appointed attorney. Barnes served as youth pastor at the church from June 2, 2005, to July 11, 2008. He was a juvenile court counselor and youth accountability officer for the Baker County Juvenile Department for four years before joining the church staff. |
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