Pemberton Deacon Faces Additional Molestation Charges Involving Second Child

By Danielle Camilli
Phillyburbs
July 24, 2012

http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/crime/pemberton-deacon-faces-additional-molestation-charges-involving-second-child/article_0680c354-a257-5cd0-b33f-e8ae0f9d75a1.html

Joseph Pullen, 59, of Pemberton Township was charged with aggravated sexual assault and other charges in the alleged molestation of a juvenile on two occasions, including a July 8 church services, authorities said.

MOUNT HOLLY — A Pemberton Township deacon, already charged with sexually assaulting a girl during a church service earlier this month, is now accused of molesting another child.

Joseph V. Pullen Jr., 59, of Whispering Pines Boulevard in Pemberton Township, was back in court Monday for his first appearance on the new charges of alleged sexual abuse of a second girl, authorities said.

The second victim told police she was molested at the Calvary Baptist Church in Pemberton Township, where he served as a deacon prior to his arrest July 13, back in 2010, according to court documents. The new charges also allege he sexually abused the same child in 2009 and 2011.

On Monday, he was charged with criminal sexual contact and endangering the welfare of a child for the second alleged incident at the church, authorities said. He also was charged with attempted-criminal sexual contact and aggravated criminal sexual contact and endangering the welfare of a child.

Authorities allege Pullen molested the second victim at undisclosed locations in Woodland and Tabernacle, according to court documents.

Pullen made his first appearance in Superior Court on the new set of charges Monday. Judge James W. Palmer Jr. increased his bail from $250,000 to $300,000, with no 10 percent option, on all the charges and signed a Nicole's Law order prohibiting him from having any contact with the victims. Palmer also ordered Pullen to have no unsupervised contact with minors if he does make bail.

The defendant, appearing via closed-circuit television from the Burlington County Jail, said he understood the charges and his rights during the brief hearing. Pullen said he would get a private attorney to defend him.

Pullen first came to the attention of the Pemberton Township Police and the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office earlier this month when the first victim, who was known to the defendant, reported the abuse at the church, authorities said. He was alone with the girl at the Scrapetown Road church at the time of the incident, police said.

Pullen was charged with aggravated sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child for the church incident.

He also was charged with aggravated sexual contact and endangering the welfare of a child after the police investigation revealed that he assaulted the same victim at another location in the fall of 2011, according to the Prosecutor's Office.

The investigation was conducted by detectives from the township police force and the Prosecutor's Office's Sexual Assault/Child Abuse Unit. Anyone with information about the defendant that might be useful to authorities is asked to call 609-265-5879 to speak to a detective.

Contact: dcamilli@phillyburbs.com