By Peter Surowski
The Patch
September 21, 2011
http://temecula.patch.com/articles/church-sued-for-alleged-choir-girl-rape
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A Temecula church was sued for its part in the statutory rape of a choir girl, according to court records.
Mountain View Community Church, its pastor John Wells, board of directors and elders council, are facing litigation for damages stemming from an incident between one of its pastors and a 16-year-old choir girl.
The pastor, Joeseph Jermaine Spencer, 26, pleaded guilty this week to picking the girl up from high school, taking her to his Murrieta apartment and having sex with her.
To read about what happened, click here.
The complaints include a failure to tell the plaintiff about Spencer's history of sex crimes, negligent hiring practices, intentional infliction of emotional distress and false imprisonment, according to the record.
The pastor allowed Spencer to lead the choir -- made up of mostly teen girls -- despite having witnessed Spencer being arrested at the church on suspicion of having sex with a minor, the complaint states.
"Defendants turned a blind eye to this despicable conduct, utterly failing to take the reasonable and necessary actions to make sure that plaintiff and the children at (the church) were safe and to prevent these children from acts of sexual abuse in the future," the document states.
Spencer paid for his apartment, where the statutory rape happened, with money the church issued as a housing allowance. The cell phone, also allegedly used in the crime, was also paid for by the church, the document states.
The allegation of false imprisonment stems from Spencer refusing to let the defendant leave his apartment after she said she was uncomfortable and tried to walk out, according to the complaint.
To read more about what happened in his apartment, click here.
The pastor, John Wells, committed fraud by telling people Spencer was an "understanding and moral person" when he knew it was untrue, the complaint alleges.
"Defendant Wells' false representation of (Spencer) enabled the perpetrator to remain in certain standing within the community and to remain in a position of trust and authority, whereby he was able to commit the unlawful sexual molestation and other wrongful acts," the record states.
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