The leader of the apocalyptic church, Lord Our Righteousness, In New Mexico's Strong, has been arrested for three counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
On Tuesday, May 6, 2008, Bent/Travesser was arrested on three counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, according to Peter Olson who is a spokesperson for the Department of Public Safety.
Bent/Travesser was arrested at the Strong City compound and authorities are in the process of interviewing him and according to Romaine Serna, a spokeswoman for the state's Children, Youth and Families Department, she could not comment because of a gag order issued by the judge in the case. She was able to comment to an extent by saying, "We're conducting a thorough assessment. We did receive information alleging inappropriate contact with minors on the compound." She also asserts that the information came from a reliable source.
Althought Bent/Travesser had previously denied that he abused the minors living on the compound, a former member, John Sayer, told a CNN affiliate that he left because Bent wanted to sleep with his daughters, aged 14 and 15 at that time.
In an entry on the Strong City, Lord Our Righteousness website, dated may 5, 2008, Bent/Travesser compares himself to Jesus and says, "The current upheaval over me, and the present contest is well underway. It was the same for Jesus. Jesus had not committed any crimes, so the authorities had to invent some crimes to crucify him over. It is the same for me also. I have committed no crimes, but many crimes are being imagined and concocted in the minds of men to try and kill me again. Men are so stupid, though, for they do not know that they cannot kill Spirit. They think if they get to kill my body it will end it. I laugh long and hard over this. My Spirit cannot be killed by dogs and snakes or anything else.
But these things always accompany the appearing of Messiah. ..."
According to the Affidavit (Adobe-opens in a separate window)- On or about the 31st day of July, 2006 in Union County, New Mexico, the above-named Defendant did unlawfully and intentionally touch or apply force to the intimate parts of L.S., and L.S. was a child thirteen (13) to eighteen (18) years of age, and the Defendant was in a position of authority over L.S. and Defendant used his position of authority to coerce L.S., to submit.
That was count one, and there are two more counts of the same, titled, Criminal sexual contact of a minor, with the initials of the children and dates of occurrence being different.
Those are second degree felonies in the state of New Mexico.
Counts 4, 5 and 6, are for Contributing to the delinquency of a minor and state in all three- That on or about the 31st day of July, 2006 in Union County, New Mexico, the above-named Defendant did unlawfully and intentionally touch or apply force to the intimate parts of L.S., and L.S. was a child thirteen (13) to eighteen (18) years of age, and the Defendant was in a position of authority over L.S. and Defendant used his position of authority to coerce L.S.
Again, the initials of the children and the dates vary, but those three counts are also considered second degree felonies in the state of New Mexico.
Starting on page 2 of the affidavit by Matthew Martinez, who is a full time salaried Criminal Agent in good standing with the New Mexico State Police. He attended the Safe Room Interviews at the Safe Room in Taos, New Mexico and he describes portions of those interviews.
Upon arrival at the Safe Room, I met with Safe Room Coordinator Julie Kay Vigil, who told me two children had been brought in for Safe Room Interviews from the Strong City Compound near Clayton, New Mexico by New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Division. Ms. Vigil advised that both children had identified the same suspect to be Wayne Bent, who refers to himself as the Son of God. These incidents took place on the property belonging to Wayne Bent in Union County, State of New Mexico.
The synopsis of interview with one of the children, only described as A.S. states "A.S. said she lay naked with Wayne Bent, AKA Michael Travesser. A.S. said Mr. Bent kissed her lips like a husband and wife do. Mr. Bent also touched and kissed her breasts. A.S. said this incident occurred on or about August 2, 2006 at the Strong City Compound in Union County, State of New Mexico.
That is representative of the other interview as well, with the date and initials of the child in question being the difference.
Bent/Trevesser was booked into the Union County Consolidated Detention Center in Clayton and is being held on a $500,000 cash-only bond.
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