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A former Evangelical Christian pastor is being charged with assaulting an underage girl.
Robert Fenton, 35, formerly served as a youth pastor at Vine Church in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, during the 1990s.
During his time there, he allegedly convinced his church to allow him to marry a then-14 year-old girl.
Watch the news coverage here:
Fenton, who was 26 at the time, told the church he had to marry the child because "God wanted it."
Fenton allegedly was able to convince his church he and the victim had to be "betrothed" due to God's will and the age gap was the same between Mary and Joseph.
Court documents revealed Fenton's church allowed his marriage to the girl “with an understanding that no sexual activity would occur.”
However, according to the victim, whose identity has not been released, Fenton used this opportunity to sexually abuse her, reportedly forcing her to touch his genitals and perform oral sex on him.
The church insists they had no idea the relationship turned sexual.
I took on the Catholic Church and uncovered decades of abuse that spanned from dioceses in Pennsylvania to the Vatican.\n\nI\u2019m still fighting back against child abuse and holding accountable those who use their power and authority to perpetuate it.https://fox56.com/news/local/former-bradford-county-youth-pastor-charged-with-child-sex-crimes\u00a0\u2026— Josh Shapiro (@Josh Shapiro) 1651068292
The victim's parents, who horrifically supported the betrothal, did admit to authorities while the relationship began with a six-month "no contact" period in which the two only communicated through written letters, Fenton often "pushed the boundaries."
The "wedding" ultimately got called off after Fenton contracted pancreatitis. He allegedly blamed the victim for his illness and told her she "ruined his ministry" before leaving the church.
Fenton has since left his position and moved to a new church in Australia. He may be extradited to the US to face trial.
Twitter users are horrified over the news.
A pastor from Pennsylvania was just charged with sexually abusing a 14 year-old girl, when he was 26. \n\nHe claimed it was okay, as "God wanted her to be his spouse". \n\nHis church approved the sexual abuse that took place over 3 years. \n\nAnd yet they call LGBTQ+ people groomers!— Tyler Stevenson (he/him) \ud83d\udc9c \ud83c\udca1 \u2660\ufe0f (@Tyler Stevenson (he/him) \ud83d\udc9c \ud83c\udca1 \u2660\ufe0f) 1651185031
OMG! A former Pennsylvania youth pastor, Robert Fenton, is facing charges in connection with sexual abusing and assaulting a 14-year-old girl in the 1990 when he was 26 yr old pastor pic.twitter.com/M5ERC7ojrR— VICTORY (@VICTORY) 1651192375
Weird, right wing people tell me it's Disney and the LGBTQ community that's the problem, but it always turns out to be "conservatives" and jesus freaks actually doing it— \u03b2rett Somers Appreciation Society (@\u03b2rett Somers Appreciation Society) 1651068988
Thank you for your promised continuous efforts to prosecute offenders of child abuse, no matter the time frame.— auntell66 (@auntell66) 1650942010
Please continue doing what you do.— Seventen (@Seventen) 1651068459
The details are infuriating.\nThe 'pastor' said God wanted the victim to be his spouse. THE 'CHURCH' took the SIDE OF THE PEDOPHILE and betrothed her?? Because the PEDO LIED and told the church he wouldn't have sexual contact with her until she was older???\nDid I read that right?— Iridescent Ashes (@Iridescent Ashes) 1650920953
So few have done this, the abuse in the church went on for far longer than we even know yet. Horrifying as so many families believed the church was safe for their children and didn't see the abuse until it was too late. Sadly much more to uncover. The Pope could do more IMHO.https://twitter.com/JoshShapiroPA/status/1519316651958755329\u00a0\u2026— ambercakes (@ambercakes) 1651070053
Robert Fenton 52 & victim 14. Church \u201cbetrothed\u201d victim to youth pastor #RepulicanWeirdos @GOP @DNChttps://twitter.com/joshshapiropa/status/1519316651958755329\u00a0\u2026— BAM (@BAM) 1651080937
Yep. Former youth pastor charged with sex crimes\u2026.shocked? https://twitter.com/joshshapiropa/status/1519316651958755329\u00a0\u2026— P.Salvati Norris (@P.Salvati Norris) 1651074028
A Jebus freak is a pedo? How surprising— Ella Bella (@Ella Bella) 1651246453
Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro assured the public Fenton would face criminal charges.
He said:
“The defendant used his power and authority in his religious community to lie, manipulate and regularly abuse a young girl in his community."
“I promised we would hold anyone who was abusing children accountable–and Robert Fenton is no exception.”