LOVELAND, Colo.—Three ministers face charges for allegedly failing to report child abuse by a member of their congregation.
Instead of contacting authorities, police on Wednesday said the pastors at Gateway Baptist Church encouraged 23-year-old Paul Lavertu to turn himself in and they helped him find an attorney.
James Rice, Thad Gunderson and Eric Mowen face charges of failing to report the alleged abuse, which is a misdemeanor. An after business hours message left at the church was not immediately returned.
Police said Lavertu allegedly inappropriately touched at least five children under their clothes. The victims were two girls ages 10 and 14, and three boys ages 8, 10, and 14.
Three assaults allegedly happened in unincorporated Larimer County, one in Loveland and one in Fort Collins.
Fort Collins police, which issued a statement Wednesday, said the pastors were made aware of the incidents last summer.
Lavertu and his attorney spoke with investigators on June 22, the first time police learned of the alleged crimes. He wasn’t arrested until Monday, after police said he assaulted another child.
“He gave us minimal details. The problem is the victims in this case were not cooperative,” Sgt. Don Whitson said. “They were hoping it would all be handled within the church.”
Jim Avery, an attorney for the family of one of the victims, told the Rocky Mountain News that parishioners were told about the assaults, which occurred at church functions, and decided to shelter the suspect.
Avery described Lavertu as a mentally disabled adult member of a youth group.
Lavertu faces three counts of sexual assault on a child, a felony; one count of attempted sexual assault on a child, a felony, and one count of unlawful sexual contact, a misdemeanor.
