Korey LaVergne, 37, of the Lafayette diocese, charged with three counts of felony indecent behavior with a juvenile

A Roman Catholic priest in the south-west Louisiana diocese where the US church’s clergy abuse scandal effectively started decades ago has been formally charged with three counts of felony indecent behavior with a juvenile.

A bill of information from the district attorney for Acadia parish charges 37-year-old Korey LaVergne with three counts of felony indecent behavior with a juvenile who was 15 at the time of the alleged offenses.

Court documents charge LaVergne with “willfully, unlawfully, knowingly and intentionally [committing] lewd or lascivious acts upon [the] juvenile” – or in the presence of the minor – on or about 1 January 2024. The charges contend that LaVergne had the “intention of arousing or gratifying the sexual desires of either person”.

A document dated 11 March filed by LaVergne’s attorneys state that the clergyman opted to waive his formal arraignment and in writing pleaded not guilty to the charges outlined in the bill of information.

LaVergne is a priest for the diocese of Lafayette, Louisiana. Another Lafayette diocese priest named Gilbert Gauthe brought the Catholic clergy abuse crisis to the US’s collective conscience by pleading guilty in 1985 to molesting several boys he encountered through his ministry.

He served 10 years in prison and now lives in Texas, and he has continued to be named in civil lawsuits from victims seeking damages from the Lafayette diocese over their abuse at Gauthe’s hands.

LaVergne’s formal charges came after he was arrested in mid-January on the same three counts referred to in the bill of information.

At the time, records showed that LaVergne, the pastor at the St Edward Catholic church in the community of Richard, posted bail of $15,000 less than 90 minutes after being jailed. That secured his release from custody while the case proceeds.

A week after his arrest, the Guardian obtained the investigators’ initial report on the case, which stated that LaVergne had been jailed after local authorities were told that the clergyman had “inappropriately touched a child” over the course of a year.

The Lafayette news station KADN reported on 16 January that another priest had reported the allegations against LaVergne to authorities prior to his arrest.

A pretrial hearing in the case has been tentatively scheduled for 12 June after LaVergne’s attorney filed a series of standard court motions, records show.

Neither LaVergne nor his attorney immediately responded to requests for comment from the Guardian on Friday regarding the formal charges.

LaVergne faces a maximum sentence of seven years in prison and up to $5,000 in fines.

Generally, under Louisiana law, indecent behavior with a juvenile can be punished with up to seven years in prison.

The state defines the offense as “any lewd or lascivious act … in the presence of any child under the age of 17”. The law also states that messages – including texts – and actions alleged to constitute grooming can fall under the offense.

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Suffolk County police arrested a North Bay Shore man accused of sexually abusing a pair of kids multiple times spanning nearly two decades.

Officers took Bernardo Amaya, 75, into custody at his home around 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Investigators accused him of inappropriately touching an 8-year-old girl in August.

As part of the investigation, Suffolk County police Special Victims Section detectives also said Amaya inappropriately touched a child in May and June of 2007 when the child was only four years old.

Police said Amaya came in contact with the victims at his North Bay Shore home at 1753 Pine Grove Blvd., where a family member was a childcare worker.

Amaya worked as a bus driver for Educational Bus Inc. in West Babylon.

Educational Bus Transportation spokesperson Lloyd Singer told News 12 in a statement: “Educational Bus Transportation takes this matter very seriously. We are currently reviewing the situation and will cooperate fully with law enforcement. The driver in question has been removed from service pending the outcome of the investigation. The safety of the students and communities we serve remains our top priority.”

Police said Amaya also works at Saint Luke’s Roman Catholic Church in Brentwood. News 12 reached out to the church for comment this morning, but has not yet heard back.

Police charged Amaya with two counts of 1st degree sexual abuse and three counts of endangering the welfare of a child.

He’s scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip today. Detectives are asking anyone who believes they could have been a victim of Amaya to contact the Special Victims Section at 631-852-6184.

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The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, in collaboration with the Cyber Security Authority and National Security, has arrested a pastor in connection with offences involving a minor, including defilement and the production and possession of child sexual abuse materials.

The Director General of CID, COP Lydia Yaako Donkor, made the announcement during a press conference on Monday, March 9, providing details of the joint operation and the ongoing investigation.

The suspect, Ebenezer Kondua, aged 45, is the lead pastor at Mahanaim Christian Centre in Ankaful, Cape Coast.

He was apprehended in Waraba, a suburb of Iguasi, during a joint intelligence-led operation in the early hours of March 6, 2026.

Investigations revealed that the suspect operates a Facebook profile under the name Reverend Dr. Kondua, where he presents himself as a trained gynaecologist and international marriage counsellor.

Evidence indicates that in August 2021, he invited a then 13-year-old junior high school student into his home under the guise of providing spiritual counselling and behavioural correction.

From that point, he allegedly subjected the minor to repeated sexual abuse over an extended period.

“The suspect repeatedly subjected the survivor to sexual abuse and recorded videos of the acts on his mobile phone,” COP Donkor said.

“In some instances, he forced the survivor to hold up materials, display an adult pornographic website, and state on camera that she was accessible on that platform with apparent intent to distribute such content online.”

The abuse was uncovered when the survivor confided in her school headmistress. A complaint was subsequently filed with the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) in Cape Coast, and a formal case was referred to the Cape Coast Circuit Court.

During the arrest, authorities recovered various items from the suspect’s home, now undergoing forensic analysis.

These include one HP laptop, three external hard drives, five pen drives, a mobile phone, a tablet, electronic vibrators, assorted contraceptives, lubricants, a used pregnancy test, and two ladies’ panties.

With the technical assistance of the Cyber Security Authority, forensic investigators found evidence of child sexual abuse material production and discovered three private pornographic website accounts on the suspect’s digital devices.

The suspect was previously charged with defamation of a female child under 16 and child pornography offences.

Upon his re-arrest on March 8, 2026, he faced a new charge of possessing an indecent image or photograph of a child, under Sections 62 and 63 of the Cybersecurity Act 2020, Act 1038.

He has been remanded in custody and is scheduled to reappear in court on March 27, 2026.

COP Donkor emphasised that the arrest reflects Ghana’s ongoing commitment to child protection, particularly in the online environment.

“This case underscores the commitments made at the highest levels of our institutions—the Ghana Police Service, the Cybersecurity Authority, and National Security—to ensure that every child is safe and protected online,” she said.

The Director General highlighted the importance of combating online child sexual exploitation (OCSE), which includes grooming, sextortion, production and distribution of child sexual abuse materials, and live-streamed abuse.

She noted the pivotal role of the CID and the Child Protection Digital Forensic Laboratory in investigating such crimes, alongside efforts by the Cybersecurity Authority and international partners, including UNICEF.

“The Ghana Police Service, the Cybersecurity Authority and National Security want to assure the public that this case is being handled with the utmost seriousness and that all necessary legal actions will be taken to ensure justice,” COP Donkor stated.

“Our commitment remains unwavering to utilise technology and collaboration to make Ghana’s digital space safer for every child.”

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Myron Chorbajian and his wife Kathleen face charges for alleged abuses dating back to the 1980s

A former South Carolina pastor named Myron Chorbajian is accused of a range of disturbing child abuse allegations, including sexual abuse, forcing children to eat trash and bury a dog he killed, and other physical abuse. His wife Kathleen Chorbajian is also charged for allegedly knowing about some of the abuse and failing to intervene or report it.

Why it matters

These allegations against the Chorbajians highlight the ongoing issue of child abuse, especially within religious institutions and families, and the need for stronger reporting and accountability measures to protect vulnerable children. The case has also drawn attention to the challenges victims face in coming forward with abuse claims, particularly when the perpetrators are in positions of power and trust.

The details

According to arrest warrants, Myron Chorbajian is accused of sexually abusing his female children, forcing them to eat trash and dirt, and making one child bury a dog he had killed in front of them. He also allegedly punched a victim in the face, forced them to sleep in a trash can and eat its contents, and beat another child with a belt until they lost consciousness. Kathleen Chorbajian is charged with knowing about some of the alleged sexual abuse and physical abuse but failing to intervene or report it.

• Myron and Kathleen Chorbajian were arrested in May 2025 after a child abuse investigation was launched in April 2025.
• The alleged abuse incidents date back to the 1980s when Myron was a pastor at 1st Southern Methodist Church in Greenville, South Carolina.

The players

Myron Chorbajian

A former pastor at 1st Southern Methodist Church in Greenville, South Carolina, who is accused of a range of disturbing child abuse allegations against his adopted children.

Kathleen Chorbajian

The wife of Myron Chorbajian, who is charged with knowing about some of the alleged abuse and failing to intervene or report it.

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Kathleen Chorbajian to be released on bond.

The takeaway

This case underscores the critical importance of vigilance, reporting, and comprehensive investigations to uncover and address instances of child abuse, even in trusted community institutions and families. It serves as a sobering reminder that abuse can occur in any setting, and that protecting vulnerable children must be an unwavering priority.

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According to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, Mikah Brondyke was arrested and charged with sex crimes against children. His wife, an assistant principal, is also facing drug charges.

A former Wake County Public Schools teacher and youth pastor is facing charges after he was accused of sex crimes against children, according to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.

Court documents showed that Mikah Brondyke sent explicit videos to a Holly Springs police officer acting undercover as a 14-year-old girl.

Brondyke, 36, was arrested on Tuesday and faces several charges, including:

• Soliciting a child by computer
• Indecent liberties with a child
• Disseminating obscenity
• First-degree sexual exploitation of a minor
• Felony possession of a schedule 1 controlled substance
• Maintain a dwelling for a controlled substance

Brondyke’s wife, Chloe Bronydke, an assistant principal at Rolesville High School, was also charged with felony possession of a controlled substance and maintaining a dwelling for a controlled substance, the NCSBI said.

In a letter sent to families, Rolesville High School Principal Phelan Perry said the incidents related to the charges did not happen at the school and did not involve any Rolesville High School students.

Mikah Brondyke, who was a career and technical education teacher and assistant soccer coach at Rolesville High School until May 1, 2024, is being held in the Franklin County Detention Center under a $620,000 secured bond. He’s due in court in April.

North Carolina Wesleyan University confirmed Brondyke worked at the school from June 2017 to August 2020 in a ministry and outreach role.

“The charges described involve alleged conduct that occurred well after his employment at the University and in contexts unrelated to North Carolina Wesleyan University,” a school spokesperson said in a statement to WRAL.

Chloe Bronydke turned herself in and posted a $20,000 bond, according to the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. She has been suspended with pay while the district investigates, Rolesville High School’s principal said.

The Holly Springs Police Department is among several agencies that are part of a broader task force that investigates cybercrimes against children.

“Tips can come from the State Bureau of Investigation or they may even come from the federal bureau of investigation,” Chief Paul Liquorie said. “Then trying to also see if they will be solicited by this person they are receiving a tip of.”

He had a warning for parents to remain vigilant in protecting their children from potential predators in the digital space.

“It can be really anybody that gets involved in this, and more importantly, it can be any kind of child that’s being targeted,” Liquorie said. Parents have to be active with that and put guardrails around their social media use and internet use.”

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Alleged victim reported being sexually assaulted on two occasions between 1996 and 1999, York Regional Police say

A Coptic Church priest from East Gwillimbury has been charged in connection with the historical sexual assault of a minor.

An alleged victim came forward to York Region Police last November to report they had been sexually assaulted on two occasions between 1996 and 1999.

At the time of the assault, the victim was under the age of 16, police stated in a news release.

Investigators have released the suspect’s photograph as they believe there may be more potential victims.

Michelle (aka Michael) Shafik, 47, has been charged with sexual assault and sexual interference.

None of the allegations have been tested in court.

A sexual assault includes any non-consensual contact of a sexual nature, police say.

York Regional Police encourages anyone who feels they may have been a victim of a sexual assault to come forward and report the incident. There is no statute of limitations for sexual offences and offenders can be prosecuted well after the date of the offence.

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A Guilford County judge set a $750,000 secured bond Monday for a former Vandalia Christian School teacher accused of using artificial intelligence and photo editing software to superimpose his students’ faces onto child sexual abuse material.

Richard Lynn Upright, 56, appeared in court for the first time following his Feb. 27 arrest on 10 counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. A detective testified that investigators ultimately identified 111 confirmed images of child sexual abuse material tied to Upright across seven cyber tips submitted by Google to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

At the hearing, the judge acknowledged the emotional nature of the case but said the bond decision had to be grounded in law and evidence. Citing sentencing guidelines that recommend a secured bond range of $15,000 to $75,000 for a Class E felony — the classification that carries a maximum of 136 months in prison per count — the judge applied that range across all 10 charges and set bond at $750,000.

Detective Miller of the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office testified that the investigation into Upright began in December 2025 after Google flagged a Drive account linked to him and reported it to NCMEC. The tip was routed through the FBI and North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation before landing with the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office. A subpoena to Charter Communications confirmed the IP address was registered to Upright’s home on Pleasant Garden Road, less than a mile from Vandalia Christian School.

Search warrants executed at both locations on Feb. 27 revealed that many of the images depicted students whose faces had been manipulated onto explicit material using AI or photo editing tools, according to detective testimony.

A parent of two students — one currently in Upright’s class, one who had him as a teacher six years ago — addressed the court and urged the judge not to release him. He described one daughter’s fear of adult men, her reluctance to attend a dance competition and her difficulty navigating the school day without a parent present.

“Not being able to protect my child from that and being able to see this,” the father said, “is trying.”

Upright, who was appointed a public defender at the hearing, waived a probable-cause hearing and is scheduled to return to Guilford County district court on March 31. The investigation is ongoing.

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• Eric Crawford has resigned as pastor of Heritage Baptist Church in Haslet after his son, a registered sex offender, was revealed to have been working at the church and related school.
• The church, which did not immediately name a replacement for Crawford, said they will review their security procedures to prevent a similar event from happening again.
• Caleb Crawford was arrested in late Feb. 2026 for failing to comply with his yearly registration as a sex offender.

A Haslet pastor has resigned after his son, a sex offender, was arrested for failing to register his status and was revealed to have been working at a local school.

Heritage Baptist Church released a statement on Monday, March 2, announcing that Eric Crawford has resigned his position as pastor at the church.

Crawford had been on leave since late Feb. 2026 after his son, Caleb Crawford, was arrested for failure to comply with sex offender registration requirements. He allegedly failed to report his job status with the department, which he is legally required to do.

The church says it is taking more steps to enhance security practices, including a new visitor access system and more secure background checks, in the wake of Caleb Crawford’s arrest. An increased security presence will also be seen at the church.

No immediate replacement for Eric Crawford has been announced by the church. The church’s statement says they will appoint an interim pastor who will guide the search for a permanent pastor.

Sex offender working at school

The church and its school, Heritage Christian Academy, recently terminated Caleb Crawford’s contract as a maintenance worker after parents discovered his status as a lifetime registered sex offender. He was also one of the music leaders at the church.

Parents told police they saw Crawford working as a janitor and observed him installing security cameras at the school. They also said their children were able to identify Caleb Crawford by name and knew the car he drove.

Crawford’s arrest affidavit also states parents told police that several staff members and teachers at the school knew of Caleb’s status, but were told not to tell parents.

Former victim, family member speaks out

Taylor Hamilton, Crawford’s cousin, spoke with FOX 4’s Amelia Jones in February about her cousin’s history of sexual indecency.

When Hamilton was 12, she says her cousin, Caleb Crawford, who was 17 years old at the time, started sexually touching her.

Redacted court documents say the unwanted touching mostly happened over clothes. It continued until Hamilton was 14 and Caleb Crawford was leaving for college at 19.

Survivor speaks out against sex offender working at church school

Caleb Crawford was arrested for indecency with a child. The trial in 2016 ended with Caleb taking a plea deal. He would go to prison for two years and be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

“It’s a big thing for me to be able to say this happened to me, but it doesn’t define who I am. To be able to put a face to a name for people because this isn’t just an accusation. This is something that he was convicted of and served time for. No matter what anyone says, he was found guilty,” said Hamilton.

The Source: Information in this story came from a Heritage Baptist Church Facebook post and previous FOX 4 reporting.

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• A convicted sex offender who was working at Haslet school was registered to work in Fort Worth since at least 2021, an arrest affidavit shows.
• The arrest warrant document also states parents told police that several staffers and teachers knew about Caleb Crawford’s status, but were told not to tell parents.
• Crawford was arrested last week for failing to comply with sex offender registration requirements. His father, the pastor at Heritage Baptist Church, has temporarily stepped down.

Arrest warrant documents reveal the timeline that led to the arrest of a convicted sex offender working for a Haslet church and school after he failed to report his status.

Timeline of the arrest

Caleb Crawford was released from prison in 2018, and was required to register annually as a sex offender with the Fort Worth Police Department.

According to the affidavit, Crawford has reported his work address in Fort Worth since 2021.

During his last annual registration in Oct. 2025, he reported his occupation as “self-employed construction.”

Last week on Feb. 16., parents at Heritage Christian Academy alerted police that Crawford was working at the school.

Sex offender working at school

The pastor’s son was picked up on an outstanding warrant for failure to comply with sex offender registration requirements. He allegedly failed to report his job status with the department, which he is legally required to do.

The church and its school, Heritage Christian Academy, recently terminated his contract as a maintenance worker after parents discovered his status as a lifetime registered sex offender. He was also one of the music leaders at the church.

Parents told police they saw Crawford working as a janitor and observed him installing security cameras at the school. They also said their children were able to identify Caleb Crawford by name and knew the car he drove.

The documents also state parents told police that several staff members and teachers at the school knew of Caleb’s status, but were told not to tell parents.

Also on Feb. 19, the church announced that Pastor Crawford would be temporarily stepping down from his duties pending an internal church financial review.

Former victim, family member speaks out

Taylor Hamilton, Crawford’s cousin, spoke with FOX 4’s Amelia Jones earlier this week about her cousin’s history of sexual indecency.

When Hamilton was 12, she says her cousin, Caleb Crawford, who was 17 years old at the time, started sexually touching her.

Redacted court documents say the unwanted touching mostly happened over clothes. It continued until Hamilton was 14 and Caleb Crawford was leaving for college at 19.

“I couldn’t sleep at night. I was a young child and couldn’t sleep at night. So, I took it to court.”

At 16, when she moved out of her aunt and uncle’s house, she told her father, who reported it to the police.

Caleb Crawford was arrested for indecency with a child. The trial in 2016 ended with Caleb taking a plea deal. He would go to prison for two years and be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

“It’s a big thing for me to be able to say this happened to me, but it doesn’t define who I am. To be able to put a face to a name for people because this isn’t just an accusation. This is something that he was convicted of and served time for. No matter what anyone says, he was found guilty,” said Hamilton.

Caleb Crawford has bonded out of jail. His court date for this arrest is scheduled for August.

His father Eric remains on leave from Heritage Baptist Church, but there are calls from residents for his permanent resignation.

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Local religious advisor George Giorgetti was arrested and charged with sexual assault and indecent assault in December, according to arrest records obtained by KFOX14/CBS4.

Giorgetti was arrested on Dec. 17 for one count of sexual assault and released the same day. He was then arrested on Dec. 24 on an indecent assault charge and released the same day.

The charges against Giorgetti come after a civil lawsuit was filed last April, which accused a local recovery program and Giorgetti of sexually abusing five men enrolled in a court-mandated treatment program, according to court documents previously obtained by KFOX14/CBS4.

However, it is unclear whether the charges against Giorgetti are connected to the lawsuit.

In a statement to KFOX14/CBS4, Giorgetti’s attorney said his client maintains his innocence.

“My client maintains his innocence and intends to vigorously defend himself against the pending allegations. While we respect the seriousness of the charges and the judicial process, this case will be decided in a court of law — not in the court of public opinion. My client is eager to have his day in court, where the evidence can be fully examined and the facts presented in their proper context. Because this matter is ongoing, we will not litigate the case through the media, but we are confident that the legal process will ultimately vindicate him.”

According to the lawsuit, five former residents of Casa Vida de Salud say they were groomed, assaulted, and threatened by Giorgetti, who also goes by Jorge Georgetti, a chaplain and recovery coach who worked closely with residents.

The Recovery Alliance of El Paso, a non-profit organization, operates residential and sober living recovery programs for those struggling with substance use and addiction, including Casa Vida, a 37-bed residential recovery center in central El Paso, according to its website.

In the lawsuit, five men say that through the summer of 2024, a spiritual advisor, Giorgetti, used his authority over them to serially abuse them.

The lawsuit from April 2025 is against El Paso Alliance-Casa Vida De Salud and Giorgetti.

In a previous emailed statement to KFOX14/CBS4, Jonathan Baeza, an attorney who represents the men in the lawsuit, said the men had reported the allegations against Giorgetti to the El Paso police, where, at the time, he said it remains an ongoing investigation.

“We want the public to know that on July 25, 2024, the victims reported these allegations to the El Paso Police Department, where the matter remains under active investigation. In response to a public-records request, the City Attorney’s Office confirmed that investigative records cannot be released at this time because disclosure would interfere with an ongoing investigation. We commend our clients for their courage in coming forward to both law enforcement and through the civil justice system. While we cannot comment on the specifics of the criminal investigation, we remain committed to supporting our clients through both processes and ensuring full accountability for the alleged abuse that occurred at Casa Vida,” Baeza said in November.

Meanwhile, arrest records also show that both charges will be handled by the El Paso County Attorney.

Giorgetti is currently associated with Our Lady of the Abandoned Holy Catholic Church Anglican Rite, and practices Catholicism Anglican Rite, but is not part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of El Paso.

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