The Seattl e Ti mes Company NWj obs | NWautos | NWhomes | NWsource | Free Cl assi fi eds | seattl eti mes.

com
Wi nner of Ei ght Pul i tzer Pri zes
Nation & World
Our network sites seattletimes.com | Advanced
Quick links: Traf f ic | Movies | Restaurants | Today's events | Video | Photos | Interactives | Blogs | Forums | Subscriber Services Your prof ile | Commenter Log in | Contact us
More from our network More from the Web
Ori gi nal l y publ i shed Tuesday, May 25, 2010 at 5:22 PM
Comments (0) E-mail article Print Share
NH church focus of 1997 teen churchgoer rape case
A New Hampshire man has been charged with the 1997 rape of a 15-year-old f ellow church member who became pregnant and
was relocated to Colorado by her strict religious order.
By LYNNETUOHY
Associated Press Writer
CONCORD, N.H.
A New Hampshire man has been charged with the 1997 rape of a 15-year-old fellow church member who
became pregnant and was relocated to Colorado by her strict religious order.
The woman, now 28 and living in Arizona, detailed the alleged rapes in a statement to Concord police this
spring after friends urged her to come forward.
Police last week arrested Ernest Willis, 51, of Gilford and charged him with two counts of aggravated
felonious sexual assault and two counts of felonious sexual assault. At the time of the alleged assaults, he
and the girl were members of Trinity Baptist Church in Concord, a fundamentalist order.
Willis posted a $100,000 personal recognizance bond and is scheduled to appear in Concord District Court
June 16. His arrest was reported Tuesday by the Concord Monitor.
Willis could not be reached for comment Tuesday. The only Willis listed in Gilford said she did not know him.
The alleged victim told police she used to babysit for the Willis children and said Ernest Willis first raped her
when he was teaching her how to drive. The second rape occurred several months later at her home, she
said.
After she discovered she was pregnant, the girl and her mother met with then-Trinity Baptist Pastor Chuck
Phelps. In her statement to police, the girl said Phelps forbade her from returning to school and ordered that
she move into the Phelps home until they could arrange her relocation to Colorado to live with a Baptist
family.
"I did not want to go to Colorado to live with people who I didn't even know, and I made that very clear to both
Phelps and my mother," the woman told police.
Once in Colorado, she was home schooled, not allowed to have contact with anyone her age and instructed
never to discuss what happened in New Hampshire, the woman told police.
The woman said the pastor she lived with in Westminster, Colo., permitted her to choose which of the three
families he selected would adopt her daughter, who was born in March 1998. She said she did not meet the
family until several years after she gave up the baby and chose the child's parents based on answers to
surveys she sent to all three.
Phelps, who is now a pastor in Indianapolis, said Tuesday he reported what the teen told him to police and
child welfare officials within 24 hours. Phelps would not comment when asked about his role in relocating the
teen to a pastor's home in Colorado.
"I called in a report," Phelps said. "I think I've said what I need to say."
Concord Police Lt. Keith Mitchell said Tuesday the investigation is ongoing, and police would not release
documents in the case. He said an inability to locate the victim hampered the 1997 investigation.
"We're evaluating whether there is sufficient information for any obstruction (of justice) charges," Mitchell said.
"Her location was not disclosed. Without her, honestly, it's very difficult to investigate a case and nearly
impossible to prosecute the case."
E-mail article Print Share
More videos
Search classifieds Sell y our stuff
POST A FREE LISTING

Most read
Most e-mailed
Video
AP Video
Entertainment | Top Video | World | Of f beat Video | Sci-Tech
Marketplace
pet classifieds
AKC Boxer Puppies
Post a pet list ing
general classifieds
Garage & estate sales
Furniture & home furnishings
Electronics
just listed
Bellev ue Public Schools Notice to Bidders
City of Bellev ue Ad for Bids 1 4044
City of Burien Notice of Application for PL...
Mor e list ings
1. Steve Ballmer added to lawsuit against f ormer Sonics
employee Steve Gordon
2. Macklemore apologizes f or costume that sparked
Home Local Nation/World Business/Tech Sports Entertainment Living Travel Opinion Shopping Jobs Autos Homes Rentals Classifieds Buy ads
Our network sites seattletimes.com | Advanced
The Seattle Times Company
About the company
Employment opportunities
Seattle Times store
Advertise with us
Newspapers in Education
Services
Your account / Log in
E-mail newsletters
Contact us
Feedback and questions
Submit listings
Send us news tips
Historical archive
News
Home
Local
Nation/World
Business/Tech
Entertainment
Living
Travel
Sports
Opinion
Extras
Today's news index
Marketplace
Jobs
Autos
Homes
Rentals
Classif ieds
Shopping
Personals
Post an ad

Subscriber Services
Subscribe
e-Edition
Pay f or your subscription
Subscriber rewards
Temporary stops
Other editions
News by e-mail
Mobile
RSS f eeds
e-Edition
Low-graphic
Twitter
Social media
More from our network More from the Web
Sel ected for you by a Sponsor
More Nation & World
UPDATE - 10:01 AM
Rebels tighten hold on Libya oil port
UPDATE - 09:29 AM
Reality leads US to temper its tough talk on Libya
UPDATE - 09:38 AM
2 Ark. injection wells may be closed amid quakes
Armed guards save Dutch couple from Somali pirates
Navy to release lewd video investigation findings
More Nation & World headlines...
Comments
No comments have been posted to this article.
Read all comments / Share your thoughts
Get home delivery today!
2. Macklemore apologizes f or costume that sparked
kerf uf f le on social media
3. Seattle agrees to lower height limits of new houses
on small lots
4. Seahawks sign two f ree agents, agree to terms with
f ourth-round pick
5. OToole spells out ambitious plan to bolster Seattle
police
6. 3 people sickened, 1,000 dogs die af ter eating jerky
treats f or pets
7. Seattles f irst openly gay f irst gentleman | Nicole &
Co.
8. Microsof t bets on Surf ace Pro 3 as laptop
replacement
9. Employee head tax, parking-tax hike sought f or
Seattle bus service
10. State insurance of f ice def ends whistle-blowers
removal
Most viewed images
Site map
Malware attacks are a growing problem on all Web sites. Read more about what to do if you see something suspicious.
Privacy statement | Terms of service
Copyright 2011 The Seattle Times Company
City Council to vote on new homebuilding
rules for small lots From Seattle Times Local News
Ride-service drivers move ahead on app-
based association From Seattle Times Local News
Employee head tax, parking-tax hike sought
for Seattle bus service From Seattle Times Local
News
Code-writing clicks as kids get creative From
Seattle Times Local News
Drive-by gunfire hits Rainier Avenue South
business block From Seattle Times Local News
Recommended by
Organic Food: It doesn't mean what you think
it means. From DesMoinesRegister.com
3 Things Nobody Knows About Credit Scores
From Credit Karma
Get a Bird's Eye View of St. Louis From Explore
St. Louis
Biggest IPO in history may be coming. From
OptionsHouse
Do You Really Need Microsoft Office? From
CMSWire
What Your Interviewer Really Wants to Hear
From American InterContinental University