Ex-pastor charged with sexual assault

By ANN ZANIEWSKI

The Oakland Press

Oakland County, Michigan

February 22, 2008

A recently resigned associate pastor of First Baptist Church of Lake Orion has been charged with sexually assaulting a 17-year-old female relative.

Stephen Emerson Elliott, 49, was arraigned Thursday on one count of third-degree criminal sexual conduct and four counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct.

The victim has said that Elliott abused her on several occasions from May 2007 through January 2008 at a home and at the church offices.

Edward Cibor, chief of the warrants division of the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office, said Elliott confessed in an interview with police.

Reached at his Lake Orion home late Thursday afternoon, Elliott said he didn't want to comment and referred questions to his attorney, Daniel Bates. Bates did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

Messages left at First Baptist Church for Senior Pastor Juan Moreno were also not immediately returned.

Cibor said Elliott recently resigned from the church.

Elliott was still listed Thursday afternoon on the church's Web site as pastor of Adult Ministries. The married father of four joined the staff in January 1998, according to the Web site.

Lake Orion Police Chief Jerry Narsh said Elliott betrayed both his family's trust and the trust of people at the church.

"This person, by his professed faith and his profession, is a person of trust," Narsh said. "It is always a tragedy... not just to (his) family and the victim, but a tragedy to society, when people of trust fail us.

"Obviously, this is a disturbing case."

The teen disclosed the alleged abuse to a therapist, who told Department of Human Services officials, who in turn contacted police.

Elliott stood mute to the charges at his arraignment Thursday at 52-3 District Court. Magistrate Marie Soma released him on a $50,000 personal bond and ordered him to have no contact with the victim. A preliminary exam conference is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. March 6 before Judge Lisa Asadoorian.

Three-degree criminal sexual conduct is a 15-year felony, while fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct is a 2-year misdemeanor.

Contact staff writer Ann Zaniewski at (248) 745-4628 or email ann.zaniewski@oakpress.com.

http://www.theoaklandpress.com/stories/022208/loc_20080222344.shtml