WALTERBORO, S.C. (AP) - The 84-year-old founder of a rural Christian compound in South Carolina has been arrested on sexual assault charges.
The Post and Courier reports that Lt. Tyger Benton with the Colleton County Sheriff’s Office says deputies arrested Ralph Gordon Stair on Monday morning, and State Law Enforcement Division agents searched the Overcomer Ministry.
The preacher is charged with multiple offenses, including first-degree criminal sexual conduct, third-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor and first-degree burglary. It’s unclear if he has a lawyer.
State and federal authorities have been investigating Stair since October after videos published on YouTube depicted allegations of sexual assault.
In 2002, Stair was accused of raping two women on numerous occasions, which he denied. He eventually pleaded guilty to lesser charges and was sentenced to time served.
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Information from: The Post and Courier, http://www.postandcourier.com
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