Pastor Prepared to Admit Sexual Abuse

By Dennis Magee
KCRG
April 20, 2012

http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/Pastor-Prepared-to-Admit-Sexual-Abuse-148251485.html

Pastor Dennis Brown of rural Eldora intends to change his plea and admit he engaged in a sex act with a 15-year-old boy, according to court documents.

Waverly police arrested Brown, 67, in July, and he was charged with third-degree sexual abuse, a Class C felony.

Brown and the boy allegedly became acquainted online through a website and arranged to meet in Waverly. The teenager's family found out and contacted law enforcement officials, according to court records.

Brown indicated he had been pastor of a church in Grundy County for four years. He also maintained a home in Verona, Va.

Judge James Drew in March, denied a motion to suppress evidence seized by authorities from Brown's home. Drew at the same time ruled incriminating statements Brown made while officers searched would also be admissible at his trial.

"Given an Internet website was allegedly used to facilitate the introduction of the defendant and alleged victim, it was reasonable to believe that evidence of a crime might be found on any computers in the defendant's possession," Drew wrote in his ruling.

Engels argued Brown's comments should be out of bounds because Waverly police officer Troy Schneider said things about the case he knew to be false. Specifically, Schneider referred to the boy's claim Brown had a knife, an allegation the boy later recanted, according to court documents.

"The court does not believe that the statements made by the officers were deceptive because they were technically true even if officer Schneider suspected that part of the alleged victim's story had been concocted," Drew ruled.

Brown is scheduled to plead guilty during a hearing scheduled June 25 in Bremer County District Court. According to County Attorney Kasey Wadding, Brown could face up to 10 years in prison.