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	Arrested Mahwah Assistant Pastor Makes Bail Mahwah Suburban News December 2, 2009 http://www.northjersey.com/news/78332382.html Mahwah — Bail has been posted for a former youth ministry volunteer who was arrested and charged with sexual assault and other crimes Tuesday after an alleged victim came forward. Curtis Franklin, of 126 Grove St. in Mahwah, is currently the assistant pastor at the Mahwah Full Gospel Church, 133 Grove St. According to the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, Franklin engaged in "inappropriate sexual contact" on at least three occasions six years ago with a female under the age of 16 at a residence in Mahwah. The incident went unreported until Nov. 30 of this year. According to the prosecutor’s office, Franklin met the alleged victim while a volunteer youth minister at the church. Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli said in a phone interview the alleged victim was 15 at the time of the incident. Molinelli would not comment on whether Franklin had any previous criminal history, but said "we don’t anticipate other victims" to come forward. A spokeswoman for the Criminal Division of the Bergen County Superior Court, said Franklin’s father-in-law, J.D. Walker, pastor at the church, posted his $75,000 bail. Franklin’s charges include one count of sexual assault in the second degree, one count of criminal sexual contact in the fourth degree and one count of endangering the welfare of a child in the third degree. According to Police Chief James Batelli, second degree sexual assault, the most serious of the charges, carries a jail sentence of between five and ten years, with a possible fine up to $150,000. Batelli said Franklin was interviewed by members of his department on Dec. 1 at the police station, and subsequently arrested. Franklin surrendered his passport under orders from Judge Harry G. Carroll, and was remanded to Bergen County Jail after his arraignment in Mahwah. Pastor Walker had no comment when contacted by Suburban News. Repeated phone calls to Franklin’s residence were not answered. Franklin’s office phone at the church has been disconnected.
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