BishopAccountability.org
	Boy Describes 'Camping' with Minister By Cindy Stauffer Lancaster Online September 9, 2009 http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/241987 A 13-year-old boy told police a retired minister had sexual contact with him while the two were "camping out" inside a tent in a hangar at Lancaster Airport, according to an arrest warrant affidavit. The teen told police Dennis Spangler, 64, slept in the nude with him and touched him on several occasions over the past year, the affidavit filed in the case said. Spangler, of Richland Drive in Manheim Township, has been charged with indecent assault, indecent exposure and corruption of minors for the incidents at the airport, where Spangler worked as an independent flight instructor. Spangler, who retired from the United Methodist church in 2007 after a stint at a Brownstown church, surrendered his ministerial credentials late Monday afternoon to a church official. According to the affidavit, Spangler admitted his actions to police. The incidents came to light late last month, after the boy spoke to an interviewer with the Lancaster County Children's Alliance, a local team of professionals who help children who are victims of sexual abuse. The teen told the interviewer Spangler had inappropriate contact with him while they were "camping out" in an airplane hangar, according to the affidavit. While the two were in the hangar, Spangler took photos of the boy while the boy was wearing only underwear and a shirt, the boy told the interviewer, according to the affidavit. Manheim Township Police Detective Allen Leed then spoke to the boy, who told him Spangler slept with the boy while Spangler was completely nude on several occasions, according to the affidavit. "During the incident, (the boy) said that Spangler exposed himself while they were camped out in the airplane hangar," the affidavit said. Police last week met with Spangler, who admitted having inappropriate contact with the teen, the affidavit said. Spangler retired from his last post at Emmanuel United Methodist Church in Brownstown, where he worked for about nine years, a source said Monday. Before that, Spangler was pastor of Faith United Methodist Church on the Fruitville Pike, where he served about 10 years. He had been a full-time minister for 30 years. A source said that Spangler previously had worked as a U.S. Navy chaplain. Also on Monday, Spangler signed a statement acknowledging he is no longer an ordained pastor and turned over his ordination certificate to the Rev. James B. Todd, district superintendent of the Southwest District of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church. Due to the pending charges, Spangler will not be allowed to work with children or youths at any United Methodist churches, Todd said. He also will be required to be accompanied by an adult on any United Methodist church property. E-mail: cstauffer@lnpnews.com
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