Prosecutor: Bergen County Pastor Engaged in Inappropriate Sexual Activity with Members of Church Youth Group

By Natalie Mieles
Patch
March 21, 2015

http://patch.com/new-jersey/ramsey-nj/prosecutor-bergen-county-pastor-engaged-inappropriate-sexual-activity-members-church-youth-group

Authorites say a former Wyckoff Pastor was arrested for allegedly engaging in inappropriate sexual activity and exchanging sexually explicit videos with underage members of his church youth group.

David M. Hayman, 37, of Oradell, was arrested Thursday after police learned he engaged in inappropriate sexual activity and exchanged sexually explicit videos on numerous occasions with two female acquaintances who were both 16-years-old when the activity began, Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli said.

Authorities also learned that Hayman exchanged sexually explicit text messages on numerous occasions with three other female acquaintances, who were 15-and-16-years-old.

“All of the victims were members of a church youth group, of which Hayman was the Pastor and for whom he had direct supervisory responsibility,” Molinelli said.

Hayman, who was formerly employed by the Cornerstone Christian Church in Wyckoff as a Pastor of Youth and Children’s Ministries, led a high school aged youth group and was responsible for the oversight of other younger aged youth groups, according to Molinelli.

He held this position for nearly ten years, until he was fired in the summer of 2014 when the church learned of inappropriate text messages he sent. At that time, however, no reports of sexual assault were made until recently when the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit and the Wyckoff Police Department received information regarding the possible identities of two victims.

The victims were interviewed by detectives from the Special Victims Unit and the Wyckoff Police Department and provided specific details regarding what had occurred with Hayman, which ultimately led to Hayman’s arrest and the discovery of additional victims.

Electronic equipment was seized from Hayman’s former place of employment and his residence. Authorities also say all of the alleged crimes occurred while Hayman was employed at the church.

Hayman was charged with two counts of sexual assault and five counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Bail was set at $250,000 with no ten percent option, no contact with the victims and the surrender of his passport as a condition of bail.

He was remanded to the Bergen County Jail in lieu of bail.