Youth pastor on trial for sexual abuse

By Terrell Forney
Local 10
April 1, 2014

http://www.local10.com/news/youth-pastor-on-trial-for-sexual-abuse/25256036

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -

A criminal trial is underway against a youth minister accused of raping boys.

Jeffrey London, 50, appeared in a Broward County courtroom Monday as the first of several accusers took the witness stand.

One of the alleged victims, now 20 years old, claims London sexually assaulted him during a period of 10 years.

The boy, between 5 and 6 years old at the time, moved in with London because his mother was having financial difficulties. London was a trusted member of the community because he was a minister at a Fort Lauderdale area church and a youth counselor with the Boys & Girls Club.

London was arrested in 2012 after the molestation accusations came to light from one young man. Since then, nine victims have stepped forward.

Prosecutors went into great detail about the abuse and talked about incriminating text messages in front of jurors.

"How frequently would that occur?" asked the prosecutor.

"Every day," said the unidentified victim. "Only the times when I would get closer and closer to God because I always thought I was going to tell, because when I read the Bible (London) would come in the room, like knock, knock, knock."

Defense attorneys argue the accusations are part of a plot for the boys to earn a quick buck.

Five of the victims are expected to testify in the trial, while the rest of victims plan to testify in a different case down the road against London.

The trial is expected to last a little more than a week.