By Daphne Duret
Palm Beach Post
September 20, 2011
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/crime/jury-former-boynton-beach-pastor-molested-15-year-1869351.html
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| Dieugrand Jacques, 39, of suburban Lake Worth, the pastor of New Alliance Haitian Church. |
WEST PALM BEACH – A former Boynton Beach pastor was convicted today on charges he molested a 15-year-old church member who had come to him for counseling.
A jury found 40-year-old Dieugrand Jacques guilty of a single count of lewd and lascivious molestation for committing a sexual act on the victim in 2007 after driving her to his house.
At the time, the victim was a girlfriend of one of Jacques' young members at the New Alliance Haitian Church and had sought his counsel about their relationship as well as problems she was having with her parents.
According to the Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office, a second victim during Jacques' trial testified that Jacques had sex with her inside the church after she confided in him about being molested in the past.
According to arrest reports, Dieugrand denied the abuse, saying the first victim had fabricated the allegations to lure her boyfriend away from church and that he had been out of town on the day the second victim alleged he molested her.
Jacques faces up to 15-years in prison at his sentencing on Oct. 21.
Contact: daphne_duret@pbpost.com
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