Youth minister accused of sexually abusing juveniles surrenders

By Jonathan Bullington
Times-Picayune
June 26, 2015

http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2015/06/youth_minister_accused_of_sexu.html

Police said Ryan Scott Rodgers is wanted on a sexual battery charge and on seven counts of indecent behavior with juveniles.

Ryan Scott Rodgers, a 36-year-old youth minister accused by New Orleans police of having "inappropriate sexual behavior" with two male teenagers, surrendered to authorities Friday (June 26), NOPD said in an email.

Police have accused Rodgers of sexually abusing the teenagers over the course of at least a year, starting sometime in 2014. Most of that abuse took place inside Rodgers' Central City apartment in the 1700 block of Baronne Street, police said, and involved inappropriately touching the teenagers as they slept. Police also said he purchased underwear for the teenagers and forced them to pose in front of him.

Police have not identified the specific churches in Orleans, Jefferson and Plaquemines parishes where they said he worked as a youth minister. He faces charges of sexual battery and indecent behavior with juveniles.