By Brian Haynes
Las Vegas Review-Journal
January 12, 2011
http://www.lvrj.com/news/pastor-charged-in-molestation-of-teenage-girl-113339909.html?ref=909
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| Otis Holland |
A pastor of a small Las Vegas church has been charged with molesting a teenage girl from his congregation.
Otis Holland, 54, faces one count of sexual assault with a minor under 16 and two counts each of sexual assault with a minor under 14 and lewdness with a child under 14. All of the charges involve the same girl.
Holland ran the United Faith church in the lobby of a tax service at 2425 E. Hacienda Ave., near Tropicana and Eastern avenues, when the molestation is alleged to have begun in spring 2008, according to his arrest report.
The girl told Henderson police she was an eighth-grader when Holland began "counseling her" after her parents had separated. One day after church Holland molested her in his limousine, according to the report.
He told her not to tell anyone "because he would go to prison for a long time. Reverend Otis also said that if she said anything he would be ruined because of her," the report read.
On the next four Sundays, Holland brought the girl to a house on Teton Pines Drive in Henderson, near Green Valley and Wigwam parkways, to "speak with her," she told detectives. Each time he fondled and molested her, apparently while videotaping, according to police.
"He made me believe this was counseling," she told investigators.
The molestation ended on Christmas 2009. She told detectives that he once told her he "was doing this to save her life and make sure she was always safe with sex. He didn't want her to be naive and get taken advantage of," according to the report.
She also told police of at least two other possible victims. The investigation is ongoing.
Holland, who was arrested Dec. 17, could not be reached for comment.
Contact reporter Brian Haynes at bhaynes@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0281.
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