Update: Former Henderson Youth Pastor Arrested on Colorado Charges

By Beth Smith
The Gleaner
April 17, 2012

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2012/apr/17/former-henderson-youth-pastor-arrested-colorado-ch/

UPDATE;

A former youth pastor at Henderson's Hyland Baptist Church who is facing local sex abuse charges was arrested Friday in Louisiana in connection with warrants issued from the Routt County Sheriff's Office in Steamboat Springs, Colo.

According to information on the West Monroe, La., Police Department's website, John H. Brothers Jr., 42, was arrested at a relative's home in a "joint operation between the West Monroe Police Department and the Routt County Sheriff's Office."

Routt County Undersheriff Ray Birch confirmed Tuesday that Brothers is facing charges in Colorado which include eight counts of sexual assault on a child by a person in position of trust, seven counts of sexual assault and eight counts of first-degree burglary.

Birch declined further comment saying this case involves a juvenile and is an ongoing investigation.

Brothers, who became youth minister at Hyland Baptist Church in the summer of 2008, moved to Henderson from Steamboat Springs, Colo., according to Henderson Police Lt. Chip Stauffer.

Henderson Police Detective Shannon Troutman, lead investigator in the local sexual abuse case involving Brothers, said while in Steamboat Springs, Brothers was employed as a teacher at a Christian school from April 2006 until 2008. He also served as a pastor for a church in Yampa, Colo., during this time period, Troutman said.

Information on whether the Colorado charges are connected to his employment there was unavailable.

Brothers left Henderson and moved to West Monroe, La., in October after being confronted by church deacons at Hyland Baptist Church about sexual abuse allegations from two members of the youth group, according to Henderson police.

Henderson detectives arrested Brothers in November on two counts of first-degree sexual abuse after he returned to his Henderson residence on Jihan Court to retrieve some of his belongings.

He was indicted by a Henderson County grand jury in February on the sexual abuse offenses. Until his arrest on Friday, Brothers was free on bond for the Henderson charges with the stipulations that he not contact the alleged victims or complaining witnesses in the case. A trial date in Henderson Circuit Court has been set for May 17.

Following Friday's arrest in Louisiana, Brothers was lodged at the Ouachita Parrish Correctional Center, awaiting extradition to Colorado, according to the West Monroe police website.

Information regarding the extradition date to Colorado was unavailable Tuesday.

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A former youth pastor at Hyland Baptist Church was arrested Friday in Louisiana in connection with warrants issued from the Routt County Sheriff's Office in Steamboat Springs, Colo.

Routt County Undersheriff Ray Birch confirmed Tuesday that John H. Brothers Jr., is facing charges which include eight counts of sexual assault on a child by a person in position of trust, seven counts of sexual assault and eight counts of first-degree burglary.

Birch declined further comment saying this case involves a juvenile and is an ongoing investigation.

Brothers, who became youth minister at Hyland in the summer of 2008, moved to West Monroe, La., last October after being confronted by church deacons about sexual abuse allegations from two members of the youth group, according to the Henderson Police Department.

Brothers was arrested in Henderson in November on two counts of first-degree sexual abuse after returning to his residence on Jihan Court to retrieve some of his belongings.

He was indicted by a Henderson County grand jury in February on the sexual abuse offenses.