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Associated Press, January 16, 2004
Pastor convicted of soliciting sex from teenager
WEST CHESTER, Pa. (AP) - A Philadelphia pastor who has condemned
homosexuality and was known for using a bullhorn to preach to passers-by at
colleges was convicted of soliciting sex from a teenager.
Jurors deliberated for 3 1/2 hours Wednesday before convicting the
Rev. Craig Stephen White of criminal solicitation to commit involuntary
deviate sexual intercourse and related offenses.
White, 40, who faces a minimum three-year prison term on the most
serious charge, showed no reaction. His mother wept and said, "He's
innocent; he's innocent."
Defense attorney Robert J. Donatoni said he was "disappointed but
not surprised." "This was a very difficult case for everyone," said
Donatoni, who suggested that the teenager was mistaken, confused or just
seeking attention.
The charges stemmed from a stop White made in West Chester in June,
when he asked a 14-year-old boy for directions.
The boy said White also asked about strip clubs or adult book or
video stores and later came back and offered him $20 for taking part in
sexual activity.
White denied making any sexual proposition and said he asked
directions to a video store because he wanted to buy the movie "Shrek" for
his children.
White has preached on campuses against homosexuality and atheists,
using a bullhorn to rile up students about "fornicators," "whores" and
"sodomites."
He started a Temple University campus group called Soldiers for
Christ, worked at a youth ministry in Gloucester County, N.J., began the
Philadelphia Gospel Outreach Center in North Philadelphia, and was enough of
a fixture on the University of Pennsylvania campus that the chaplain's
office held a panel discussion about his methods in 1998.
:eyes:
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