By Corey Friedman
Gaston Gazette
December 3, 2009
http://www.gastongazette.com/news/old-41135-girl-year.html
NORTH CAROLINA--A fugitive Gaston County pastor wanted on child rape charges faces new allegations of sexually abusing a 5-year-old girl.
Police say 46-year-old Robert Lee Adams molested the girl more than a decade ago. Adams' wife, 43-year-old Teresa Gilreath Adams, is accused of convincing the girl to engage in sex acts with her husband.
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| Teresa Adams |
"Mr. Adams informed Mrs. Adams to have the victim conduct some activity, and at her urging, the victim participated," said Capt. Joe Ramey of the Gaston County Police Department. "She encouraged the victim to participate in an act that led to these charges."
Teresa Adams of 1407 Old Spencer Mountain Road, Dallas, was arrested Thursday on a charge of felony aiding and abetting. Robert Adams, whose last known address is 1319 Rosewood Drive, Dallas, has been on the run for more than nine months.
Police say Robert Adams was the pastor of Mount Calvary Tabernacle in west Gastonia before he fled the area.
Teresa Adams was booked in the Gaston County Jail under a $35,000 secured bond. She has refused to help detectives locate her husband, Ramey said.
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| Gaston County Police Departmen |
"She is not willing to provide information as to her husband's whereabouts," he said. "She has not been helpful at all."
The alleged sexual abuse took place between Jan. 1 and March 30 of 1998. Ramey said the accuser came forward after learning that Robert Adams was wanted on other child rape and molestation charges.
Authorities learned last year that the pastor sexually abused a pre-teen girl for a span of three years that eventually led to her pregnancy, Ramey said. The girl gave birth in the summer of 2008.
Robert Adams may be traveling in a 1970s-model orange pickup truck. People have reported seeing him locally in Forest City and out-of-state in Tennessee and Texas.
News reports generated some tips, but police say they are no closer to capturing Robert Adams.
"We have received some leads and some information," Ramey said. "None of it has panned out at this point."
Robert Adams is charged with three counts of first-degree statutory sex offense against a child for the 1998 incident. He still faces charges of statutory rape, first-degree sex offense with a child, taking indecent liberties with a child and other sex offenses.
Police are asking that anyone with information on Adams' whereabouts contact their local law enforcement agency. They can also call the Gaston County Police Department at 704-866-3320 or Crime Stoppers at 704-861-8000.
You can reach Corey Friedman at 704-869-1828.
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