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Youth Pastor Charged With Sexually Abusing Child

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By MIKE WELLS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 5, 2007

Updated: 10/05/2007 01:16 pm

LUTZ -A youth minister is facing allegations that he molested a young girl a dozen years ago while babysitting her, authorities say.

Justin Ray Peterson

Justin Ray Peterson, 31, of 1319 Big Sky Drive, Wesley Chapel, ministers to young adults at River of Life Church in Lutz, according to the church's Web site.

He was charged with two counts of sexual battery on a person younger than 12 and is in Orient Road Jail this morning with no bail set, records show.

Hillsborough County deputies arrested Peterson on a warrant at 2 p.m. Thursday at the church, 410 E. Chapman Road.

The victim, who now lives out of state, contacted authorities about the abuse in September.
In subsequent recorded phone conversations between Peterson and the now-teenage victim, he told her that he had been addicted to pornography and that she was an "easy target," sheriff's spokesman J.D. Callaway said.

Deputies said Peterson told them he fondled the then- 7-year-old girl when he babysat her in 1995 in her parents' Tampa home, according to the arrest affidavit. Peterson was 18 years old at the time.

When the child was 8, Peterson forced her to perform oral sex on him, the affidavit states.

Angeli Benjamin, attorney for River of Life Church, said Peterson had been ministering there about five years.

"This doesn't involve our church, and we don't have anything to say," she said.

News Channel 8 Reporter Chip Osowski contributed to this report. Reporter Mike Wells can be reached at (813) 259-7839 or mwells@tampatrib.com.

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