Church Pastor accused of molesting a male minor
Two weeks ago, a US pastor was charged for sodomizing three brothers. And tonight, there is very disturbing news coming out of the community of Roaring Creek of the sexual abuse of another minor. A pastor, thirty-seven year old Jason Neal of the New Jerusalem Christian Mission has been charged with two counts of indecent aggravated assault of a minor. The boy, reported to police that in June of this year he was asleep at Neal’s house and when he woke up, Neal was touching his private parts. The minor also told police that in July his pastor again touched him inappropriately. Today News Five spoke with Richard Smith of My Refuge Christian Ministries who said when the story first came to light, they approached the pastor to discontinue service and get counseling. Neal, however, didn’t follow up on the sessions and he moved church services to his house.
Richard Smith, Director, My Refuge Christian Ministries
“When this come out my first thing was I hope it’s just an accusation but I personally did my homework; went and visit the minor, who confirmed it is true and so because it is true we believe strongly that a crime has been committed. I would say later end of the September month, probably like around twenty-fourth of September and there was strict response to him to say urgently get some help.”
Andrea Polanco
Richard Smith
“But Mr. Smith why wasn’t this incident reported from the end of September? Was it ever reported when it first came to light?”
Richard Smith
“Yes, it was reported from then, as a matter of fact, we have a professional counselor dealing with it. We have an organization that’s very much dealing with the situation and it was reported to him right away. A crime had been committed and so there was a walking through of what needs to happen.”
Andrea Polanco
“Was it taken to the police though?”
Richard Smith
“At that time it wasn’t taken specifically to the police.”
Andrea Polanco
“Any specific reason why?”
Richard Smith
“Well the reason for that is because the victim per say was one; concern that when he goes to jail the wife and kids. And so you cannot go and report if nobody won’t gonna and testify if nobody about it. So those were some of the procedures and that really held us back. We can’t go to court if the victim is not willing to testify otherwise you gonna look bad.”
Andrea Polanco
“How many boys involved in this incident as far as you’re aware?”
Richard Smith
“At least two.”
According to police reports, Neal was charged with two counts of aggravated assault. We learned today in Roaring Creek that Neal has been in the community for about three to four years. Residents say that he was once a pastor in Hattieville, where he was accused of a similar incident. From all accounts, Neal was popular among the youth population of the community.
Was Pastor Neal kneeling in front of these boys instead of the alter….THERE IS HE’LL TO PAY.
Why havn’t this pedophile been arrested or hang.Wake up Belize,when will we all start standing up for these kids?
Hang him hang him high.
The pastors are ready to blast homosexuals outside of their flock. They apparently are happy to shelter a pedophile that needs attention, counseling and time served.
Again, the greatest crimes are committed by churches in the name of God and with the bible as protector. Sad but true…..
Jason Neal was not a Pastor in Hattieville..he was the lead singer of the Praise and worship group…..
what a bloody shame on that church and neal as well ason smith because they should had reported the incident to the police and had the police decide on evidence not smith or the church smith wanted to cover up for neal and the church , da just a money thing the tek place and corruption on churches like this one they get big donation in the name of christ to build therir house shop buy car alot a !@$$ all over the country especially in belmopan
Holy Cow seriously? shame on this yer pastor using the Lord’s name for his nastyness but then again who are we to judge right? The Catholics do it they have the majority of pedofiles, idoleters and every sort of defilement that is ok right? That’s why we choose to be a Catholic because there are no rules and if they r any we dont follow nways and It’s all good we still go Sunday to church and drink wi wine, eat wi hose and scew the married man/woman. SHAME ON US YES SHAME ON US BECAUSE WE ALL DO SOME KIND OF DIRTYNESS AT SOME POINT YET WE PIN POINT THE ONE WHO GETS CAUGHT. Believe me folks I am not defending this guy he did wrong he did wrong but so do we.
This is a serious crime, but all you people should start working together for a safer belize rather than posting negativity which will not be benefited from. Look at what this country has turned into, from a safe environment to not even thrust sending our poor children to church less alone schools. OPEN YOUR EYES PEOPLE, unity and GOD are the only key
Richard Smith, by his own admission, is guilty of failing to protect the child victim. He is also possibly guilty of committing a crime by not reporting the abuse to the police. The public has a moral obligation to report suspected abuse of minors, but certain professionals (health care workers, social workers, teachers, etc.) have a LEGAL obligation to report any and all suspicion of abuse of children. If pastors and clergy are not legally obligated to report, they should be.
Smith says he was concerned about Neal’s wife and children… yet for all he knew Neal was abusing his own kids. Smith says the victim would not testify… that is not his decision to make. He has an obligation to report the incident to the proper authorities and let the system work.
At best Smith has committed an act of negligence, at worst he has committed a crime. He actions, or lack thereof, can not be condoned. If he has in fact committed a crime he needs to be charged and made an example of.
SEE WHAT I TELL YOU ABOUT THESE !@#$%^& PASTORS, TAKING GOD FOR A MOCK!!!
THEY CRITICISE THEY TALK THEY POINT FINGERS AT OTHERS WHO THEY THING ARE SINNERS AND SEE NOW!
YOU BLOODY PASTORS STOP POINT FINGERS GOD IS NOT SLEEPING,STOP MOCK GOD
I am dissapointed with you Pastor Smith, that you would allow such an outrageous crime against a young boy be swept under a rug and not report it to the police. Don’t you know that all it takes is someone to report it and Police and Social will do thier investigative job? Instead, the church provides councelling for that pedophile? what kind of thing is that Pastor Smith? and you live in Roaring creek…..and you knew his bad habit, how could you turn a blind eye when you saw him put up his own church right under your nose. Maybe if you alerted the community on this ………..’ MO another child wud not have been molested. I thought you were intelligent, but seems you are just like everyone else in the church bussiness, its all about protecting your money pot. By the way, are you not a part of the group bombarding UNIBAM’s morality? Yet you provide refuge for pedophiles? So much for MY REFUGE CHRISTIAN RADIO.
i’m not religious. no mater what country you live in, no matter what continent you live on… it’s always the same… churches hiding pedofiles!!!
I cannot understand the logic of the media when they say the name of the perpetrator is being withheld to protect the identity of the child; but they are quick to name the pastor in this case and hide the identity of the other guy. This guy (stepfather of the 11 year old girl) is a second time alleged offender according to the report; his identity should be published in some other form of report or be put on a watch list with all the other offenders or alleged offenders in such cases, so people can know them. Many times there are folks who may have access to your children that on some occasion may have been accused of such behaviour, people needs to know them or have a way of doing so in order to protect their children from these types. Remember the American pastor in Sarteneja? He too was named in an instant and this is simply because it has to do with God and church, naming him did not protect the identity of those three brothers either, all am saying is publish all their names, not just the ones that are professed godly Christians. Preconceived notion!
@I AM, the rationale is to withhold the name of the perp if releasing his name will expose the identity of the child. So if it is a step-father, brother, uncle, etc. it’s pretty easy to figure out who the victim is. If the police say “John Smith” was charged with molesting his 9 year old step daughter, there is no secret who the victim is. But a pastor likely has a large congregation, so the media are not exposing the victim when they name him or name his church. It only narrows it down to maybe a dozen or so kids, and that is enough to protect the identity of the victim. That’s why you will learn the name of accused when there is no exclusive connection to the victim.
The media has to balance the public’s right to know with their obligation to protect children who are victims of sexual assault.
WHAT A SHAME SHAME ON THIS PASTOR USING GOD TO HIDE HIS HIDEOUS SATANIC BEHAVIOR, BUT MORE SHAME ON THIS NO GOOD RICHARD SMITH FOREVER PROCLAMING THE WORD OF GOD, YET HE ACTUALLY PROTECTING THE NASTY PASTOR!!!!
BOTH SMITH THE THE NO GOOD NASTY PASTOR SHOULD BE SHOT TO DEATH.
THEY LAMBAST HOMOSEXUAL, SEXUAL IMMORALITY, CONDOMS ECT ECT AND LOOK AT WHAT THEY HAVE HIDDEN IN THE CLOSET. MY GOD!!!!!!! NO WONDER SMITH NAME HIS RADIO STATION MY REFUGE!!!!! MADAS
JESUS WAS RIGHT WHEN HE SPOKE ABOUT THIS HYPOCRATES!!!!
I demand a picture if this rapist pastor, beside Richard Smith picture,
And I say to hell with my Refuge Radio station to hell with PLUS TV, and those so called no good pastors.
these pastors because they like point fingers they will surely burn in HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL.
PEOPLE OF BELIZE IMAGINE THIS PASTORS SPEAKING AGAINST THE SIN OF HOMOSEXUALITY DAY AFTER DAY, AND YES THE BIBLE SAY THAT FOR THAT SAME REASON GOD DESTROYED SODOM AND GOMORRAH, YES I CANT BELIEVE THAT THEY WHO TALK AND TALK LOVE THE ACT TOOO.
MY GOODNESS IMAGINE HOW THE CONDEMM THE …………., AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THESE PASTORS LOVE, ………. WOW TALK ABOUT SEXUAL IMMORALITY, ALL THESE YOU CAN FIND I THE CHURCHES.
JOSE I AGREE WITH YOU 100%
Christain block party, christian parade, donations and others things just as the worldly people does it. The same girating rythm, rubbing and pressing on the boys and girls in the name our CREATOR. Where has Richard taken christianity too. If people would just be passing when these so called christian congregation are having concerts, they would surely dance to the rythm because it is only the words of the worldly songs that they change. Talking about paganism, here is where majority of the so called christian churches have reached. Where are our children to turn too, who can we trust? Roaring Creek if filled with American so called Missions, they give to the people who are of there faith and people here go on as if they see Jesus in person when they see these people. I wish our Belizean people learn to trust God alone and not people who they do not know. We are plagued by these criminals from the US and they find a heaven here in Belize using the Holy Bible as their shield. And people rush them, because the locals can’t give them nothing, but just prayers. We have a mental slavery situation. But noone forces us to follow them, we humbly like a sheep to the slaughter follows his killer. Sad but true. Help us Lord and teach us to stand strong on our feet. Give us wisdom as we open your Holy Bible to learn and prepare ourselves in wait for your second coming. God bless my people, Belizeans. Peace and Love!!!
Belize is just getting more crazier everyday! and very irritating n disgusting things are going on that needs to be stopped.
Our kids are not even safe in our churches anymore hence the morale break down in our society.If these kids can’t even talk to a preacher without been molested then who are they going to trust?
Pastor Richard Smith should be held legally responsible for protecting this pedophile. They are quick to judge and ready to condemn others but can’t do the same within their own ranks. This is a huge embarassment for these so-called “men of God”. They all need professional help!!
Correction guys, please get your facts straight. Pastor Jason Neal is NOT originally FROM ROARING CREEK VILLAGE. He is from BELIZE CITY I understand or somewhere in Corozal and has recently been living here for like 4 years now. I hate when people vacate from one place and decide to make my village their home cause most of them are already criminals. We already have our hands full with the few trouble makers that we have to deal with here. Everytime they always run to Roaring Creek for refuge. Most of the crimes that happen here is not being done by born villagers, most of them dah people like Paston Jason Neal. Unnu bad people stay away from my village………we dont need you guys to finish corrupt this place.