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	Associate Pastor Faces Sex Charges By Brian L. Huchel Commercial-News February 11, 2010 http://www.commercial-news.com/local/local_story_042213309.html DANVILLE — An associate pastor in Danville pleaded not guilty to charges he sexually abused a student last year. Mark List, 34, appeared Thursday afternoon in Vermilion County Circuit Court for his preliminary hearing before Associate Judge Joseph Skowronski. List faces charges of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, criminal sexual assault — position of trust and indecent solicitation of a child. The charges cite a time frame stretching from Feb. 4, 2008, through Aug. 1, 2009. Scott Damilano, a detective with the Danville police, testified the victim, who was identified in court, was a student of List at Danville Christian Academy during that time frame and that more than one incident occurred. The alleged incidents occurred at the academy, both in List’s office and in the classroom both during and after school. The victim alleged situations ranging from List touching him in the genitals several times as they wrestled to the associate pastor following the student when he was excused to go to the bathroom and touching the teenager’s genitals as the student urinated, according to Damilano. According to Danville police, detectives were called to the Danville Christian Academy, 428 N. Walnut St., the morning of Jan. 27 in response to the allegations of abuse involving List and the 17-year-old student. List was arrested later that afternoon at his home in the 700 block of Perrysville Road. The school board suspended List on Jan. 27 pending the outcome of the investigation. He has since posted bond and was released. Damilano testified that the victim told police the incidents began after his mother, who knew List through the Danville Christian Academy, asked List to talk to her son about sex. The teenager complained about the incident to his mother, who then contacted school officials. The school contacted the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services which then called Danville police. A jury trial is scheduled in the case for May 14, although defense attorney David Ryan told the court that hearing date will probably be continued. Also on Thursday, the suspect arrested in connection with a fast-food restaurant robbery appeared in court. Mark Lennan Jr., 20, of Danville is charged in circuit court with armed robbery without a firearm and aggravated robbery for a hold-up at Hardee’s along Fairchild Street on Jan. 19. According to police testimony, Lennan used a gun — which later turned out to be a pellet gun — to rob the restaurant. He entered the establishment and demanded employees empty cash register drawers into a brown paper bag. He was arrested 30 minutes later by Danville police with the money and pellet gun still in his possession. Lennan also faces two federal charges of bank robbery related to the Dec. 10, 2009, robbery of Landmark Credit Union, 506 W. Fairchild St., and the robbery on Dec. 30, 2009, of First Savings Bank of Danville, 6 W. Williams St. His arraignment in that case is scheduled for Feb. 18.
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