List of Alleged Rape Victims Swells to Ten in South Kitsap Case

Investigators have received accounts from four more people — three women and one girl — who say a former pastor of The Church in South Colby committed sexual abuse against them while they were minors, according to the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office.

Robbin Leeroy Harper, 60, was charged Thursday by Kitsap County Prosecutors with eight felonies that emerged from accusations of molestation or rape by five women or girls, all members of the South Kitsap church Harper is said to have established.

New allegations could bring additional charges by prosecutors, Kitsap County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Kelly Montgomery said Thursday at Harper’s arraignment.

Detectives’ interviews with the four — ages 24, 20, 20 and 16 — followed a familiar pattern established in the initial six accusations of abuse. Inside the ex-pastor’s home or church office, Harper would inappropriately touch them — in one instance a girl at age 7 — and the incidents sometimes led to further molestation or rape, according to court documents in the case. If they questioned Harper, he said to some of the alleged victims that he was “preparing them for marriage,” according to court documents.

The sheriff’s office investigation began when one woman, age 20, called 911 to report sex abuse about two weeks ago. Since then, nine other women or girls have come forward with stories of abuse perpetrated by Harper. Prosecutors may formulate charges based on nine of the women’s accusations, because one woman’s story falls outside the statute of limitations, the sheriff’s office said.

Harper, who in court documents is said to be a veteran who receives both veteran’s affairs and social security income, is believed to have founded the approximately 60 member non-denominational church some time around 1980, at his home at 3525 Arvick Road.

He remains in the Kitsap County jail on $500,000 bail. His next appearance in Kitsap County Superior Court will be Nov. 29.

Previous entry: Miracle babies pastor battles extradition bid
Next entry: DNA could clear ‘Satanic’ triple murder teenagers

More articles about Robbin Harper, The Church in South Colby

Share this

To share this page simply copy and paste one of these URL's:

• Post a link on your blog or website:
  
• Send in an email or IM:
  
• Post on a forum: