A Florida pastor accused of sexually assaulting a drunken teenager has been arrested in Texas after prosecutors suspect he fled the Sunshine State.
The Monroe County, Florida, Sheriff's Workplace introduced Friday that Monte Lavelle Chitty was arrested round 5:00 p.m. in Woodville, Texas, after he allegedly approached a Texas church group that serves the homeless and the contracting authorities of a church member.
The Woodville Police Division and the US Marshals Service had been “instrumental within the arrest of Chitta,” the Monroe County Sheriff's Workplace stated in a press release.
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Chitty, who served as a frontrunner at First Baptist of Marathon and is a former Alaska police officer, faces expenses of sexual assault, lewd and lascivious molestation and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He’s being held on $1.3 million bail.
The allegations towards Chitty had been first reported to police in early March by an nameless caller who overheard {the teenager} telling an grownup that she had been raped. When the investigation started, officers stated Chitty known as them saying “he was accused of one thing and he wished to get forward of it.”
“He stated a younger lady at his church had been ingesting and handed out on the sofa within the church library,” the sheriff's workplace stated in a March 4 assertion. “He stated he helped her onto the sofa however didn't contact her after that.
After investigators contacted the alleged sufferer, she informed them that Chitty gave her alcohol that she believed was “spiked.”
“She stated she instantly began feeling weak and handed out. She stated when she awoke, she discovered Chitty sexually harassing her,” the sheriff's workplace stated.
Authorities stated they later discovered textual content messages between {the teenager} and the pastor by which he “referred to sexual relations with the lady whereas she was disturbed.”
Monroe County State's Legal professional Dennis Ward informed Native 10 Information on Monday they’ve motive to imagine Chitty left the state after she was launched on $75,000 bond. The newspaper famous that the lead detective stated in the course of the courtroom listening to that Chitty had lived in 25 states and should have someplace to cover.
Based on a report as soon as posted on the web site of the Florida Baptist Conference, Chitty and his spouse served in ministry for ten years within the Aleutian Islands, Alaska, and several other years in Texas and Nevada.
Chitty just lately launched a Sunday morning dock service at Boot Key Marina for boaters who stay on the water.
