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CHENANGO COUNTY---An ex-pastor who is accused of taking a 15-year-old parishioner to Maryland is in the Chenango County Jail, being held in lieu of $1 million bail or twice the amount in real estate, one of the highest bails ever set in the county.
Lewis J. Lee, 54, of Port Deposit, Md., former pastor of the Christian Baptist Church in Sherburne, has been charged with two counts of third degree rape, two counts of a criminal sexual act, first degree custodial interference, second degree criminal contempt and endangering the welfare of a child.
Lee was arrested last Monday in Hagertown, Md., on a federal warrant which charged him with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution and a New York State warrant on a charge of first degree custodial interference. Lee had taken the Columbus girl with him, leaving the state on March 18. She has been returned to her family.
Prosecutors had asked that Lee be denied bail because he had disobeyed a previous order of protection in place for the girl, leaving the state with her and that he was a flight risk if he was released. Lee's court appointed attorney had asked that reasonable bail be set.
The girl and her family attended the church where Lee was pastor. He allegedly had sex with her twice before they left the state. 4-23-06
© 2006 North
Country Gazette
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