Slidell Pastor Convicted of Sex Crimes

By Claire Galofaro
The Times-Picayune
March 27, 2012

http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2012/03/slidell_pastor_convicted_of_se.html

A 44-year-old minister who had a three-month sexual relationship with a 16-year-old girl has been convicted of two sex crimes by a St. Tammany Parish jury. Keith James Boyd, pastor of Open Door Apostolic Church in Slidell, was convicted Friday of carnal knowledge and indecent behavior with a juvenile.

Keith James Boyd

His small church on the western fringe of the city was closed Monday afternoon and no one returned telephone messages inquiring about the conviction and about whether Boyd is still its pastor. But a sign remains tacked to the outside of the church reading: "Open Door Apostolic Church, Pastor Keith J. Boyd & Lady Kendra W. Boyd. Jesus Opens Doors That No Man Can Shut."

Boyd reportedly met the teenager while visiting another church in St. Tammany Parish, according to the District Attorney's Office. The pair exchanged some 2,000 text messages during their consensual sexual relationship that began in August 2010.

Three months later, in November, they were together at a relative's house near Covington when the child's adult cousin noticed the minister touch the teenager inappropriately, according to the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office.

The cousin alerted another family member, who contacted a justice of the peace, who directed them to the Sheriff's Office. The teenager admitted part of the activity to her parents, then confessed to an interviewer at the Children's Advocacy Center that the two had sexual intercourse.

Boyd reportedly told Sheriff's Office investigators that he'd been providing the girl with religious counseling, though deputies found that to be untrue, the Sheriff's Office said.

He was arrested in November 2010 and charged by the St. Tammany Parish District Attorney's Office in February 2011, according to court records. He remained listed as Bishop Keith J. Boyd on published announcements of the church's activities early this month.

A jury deliberated about 2 1/2 hours before finding him guilty as charged of carnal knowledge and indecent behavior with a juvenile.

No one answered the phone listed for Boyd's Pearl River address, and his attorney, Roy Burns, did not return a call requesting comment.

Boyd was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Ken Dohre.

Rick Wood, spokesman for the District Attorney's Office, said Monday that the office has received no additional reports of sexual abuse involving Boyd.

Carnal knowledge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and indecent behavior with a juvenile carries up to seven.

Judge William "Rusty" Knight will sentence Boyd at a hearing on April 10.

Claire Galofaro can be reached at cgalofaro@timespicayune.com or 985.898.4828.