Minister Accused of Years-old Child Sex Crimes (updated)

By Lauren Baheri
New South Wales Government
May 29, 2014

http://www.gastongazette.com/spotlight/minister-accused-of-years-old-child-sex-crimes-updated-1.325938

Hall

Police have charged a Dallas pastor with raping a 13-year-old girl. Police accused the man of committing multiple sex crimes between 1994 and 1998.

Joseph “Joe” Robert Hall, 62, of 2402 Pamela St., Gastonia, was arrested Wednesday night on 14 different child sex charges:

First-degree rape of a child; first-degree sexual offense of a child; second-degree rape; second-degree sexual offense; four counts of indecent liberties with a child; three counts of statutory rape; three counts of statutory sexual offense.

The charges stem from alleged incidents in Brunswick County on the North Carolina coast.

The girl was 12 years old when the incidents began in July 1994, according to the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office. Hall would have been 43 years old at the time.

His accuser says the man continued to abuse her until July 1998.

Hall works as a men’s ministry leader at Restoring Hope Foursquare Church in Dallas. The church website says Hall leads a group called Men of Valor, participates in hospital and home visitation, is a council member and is a member of the pastoral staff.

Messages left at the church Thursday were not returned.

You can reach reporter Lauren Baheri at 704-869-1842 or Twitter.com/lbaheri.