The Legal Herald Logo
Legal Analysis By Attorneys
Breaking Legal News

Champaign, Illinois - Former Faith Baptist Church Assistant Pastor Roger VanRaden Accused of Sexually Abusing Teenager

Faith Baptist Church in Champaign
Published: December 11, 2019
By: Joe LaFrance
Last Updated on November 24, 2020

Former Faith Baptist Pastor Charged with Sex Crimes

Former Faith Baptist Church assistant pastor Roger VanRaden was arrested on Monday for allegedly sexually assaulting a teenage congregation member. The 48-year-old has been charged with criminal sexual assault and aggravated criminal sexual abuse.

Police say the charges are based on allegations of repeated sexual abuse of a girl in the congregation between 2015 and August of 2019. VanRaden worked as an assistant pastor and a youth pastor at Faith Baptist Church during these dates.

Police began investigating after the now 18-year-old alleged victim told a trusted adult that she and VanRaden had been engaging in sexual contact for approximately the past four years. The adult met with the girl’s family and a report was filed with the sheriff’s office on Saturday morning.

The alleged victim told a detective that the abuse had been ongoing since she was around 14 years old. Detectives say that VanRaden also admitted to the abuse, knowing the girl’s age, and knowing that what he was doing was wrong.

Prior to his time at Faith Baptist Chruch, VanRaden served as a music pastor at the Faith Baptist Church of Danville between 2003 and 2013.

Brian Kent - Attorney
Hi. I am attorney Brian Kent. If you or a loved one were injured or killed in a similar incident, I would be happy to speak with you and discuss your options.
Call the number below. It would be my honor to help you. Consultations are free.
(888) 997-3792

Legal Options For Victims of Sexual Abuse by Pastors and Other Clergy

Attorney contributor Brian Kent is dedicated to helping victims of sexual abuse find justice against their abusers and negligent third parties. Brian has experience representing victims of sexual abuse by religious clergy members. Here are some of Jeff’s thoughts on the legal rights of these victims and their families:

Tragically, sexual predators are often some of the most trusted members of their communities. Our attorneys regularly see this sad reality in cases involving pastors, priests, and other religious clergy members sexually abusing congregation members. The victims of these heinous crimes deserve answers, support, and justice for the trauma they’ve suffered.

Religious organizations have a legal duty to make sure their congregation members are safe from preventable harm, including sexual abuse by clergy members. When a clergy member is reported for sexually abusing a congregation member, those allegations must be taken seriously and must be reported.

After abuse is reported, it’s important to determine if the religious organization enabled the abuse to occur because of negligence. For example, a church could be considered negligent if the accused pastor had been hired despite a history of sexual misconduct at other churches.

If you or a loved one is a victim of sexual abuse by a pastor or clergy member, you can learn more about your legal rights in a free consultation with one of our experienced sex abuse victims lawyers.

Sources:

https://fox2now.com/2019/12/10/ex-assistant-pastor-of-illinois-church-accused-of-sex-crimes/

https://www.dailyherald.com/article/20191210/news/312109884

Got A Tip Or Questions 
About A Story?
Call Us!
The Legal Herald
888-997-3792
About the Author
Joe LaFrance
About Joe LaFrance
Editor: Joe is a content writer with a focus on the legal field. He covers cases of sexual abuse, drunk driving, and preventable violent crime for the Legal Herald. Contact Joe: Joe@legalherald.com This article was fact checked prior to publishing by this author to ensure compliance with our rigorous editorial standards. We will only use authoritative sources. Our values compel us to provide only trustworthy information. If you find an error, please contact us.
Read some recent posts
Find A Local Lawyer

  • Details
  • Incident

Find A Local Lawyer

Want To Contribute Breaking News? 
Contact Us Today
Legal Herald Logoinfo@legalherald.com
10355 Kensington Shore Dr. #102
Orlando, FL 32827
Call: (888) 997-3792
© 2020 The Legal Herald, a division of Eagle Peak Marketing, LLC. All rights reserved.

We would like our readers to know that the information in this story may be sourced from secondary sources and may therefore contain inaccuracies. We will correct them if and when they are brought to our attention or we discover them through our editing process. If you have any concerns about this post, please contact us immediately and we will rectify issues. DISCLAIMER: The material contained in this post is for general informational purposes. It is not intended to constitute or express legal or medical advice. Any laws referenced herein are substantially based on general legal principles and may not be applicable to your particular situation. Laws can often be different from one jurisdiction to the next. The Legal Herald is not a law firm. Law firms and lawyers from around the country may apply to become a sponsor or contributor to The Legal Herald.
SitemapMedia RoomDisclaimer / Terms Of Service & Privacy Policy