Pembroke Pines Police: Former Youth Pastor Sexually Battered Teen
FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) - Pembroke Pines police say former youth pastor Luis Clarke carried on a months-long sexual relationship with a then 15-year-old girl. They say most of the encounters took place at Clarke's home in a gated community.
According to the arrest report, Clarke "persuaded the victim to engage in approximately 20 sexual acts" and he would tell the girl to undress and he would "photograph her with his iPad." Police said the girl never told anyone because Clarke "threatened to report her and her families' illegal status to the authorities."
Police also say Clarke forced a 15-year old boy to watch him have sex with the girl.
The disgusting allegations stand in stark contrast to the public face Clarke put on social media. There is video on Facebook of Clarke preaching just this past weekend. His Facebook page is filled with pictures of him at church and sharing Bible passages and motivational phrases like "Don't Let Your Circumstances Define Who You Are."
CBS 4 News spoke with a former colleague of Clarke's who said the pastor has a manipulative side.
"He does know how to get you to do something if he wants it to done even if it takes him to beg," the man said.
The former colleague also said that Clarke often traveled outside the U.S. to preach.
"He has ministered or preached at huge congregations in Latin America," the man said. "Huge."
Back in the courtroom Friday we learned that Clarke also works in construction and has lived an arrest-free life.
"This is his first contact with the criminal justice system," his attorney told a judge in court.
But now Clarke is facing more than two dozen criminal charges and Clarke's former colleague says his thoughts are with the victim.
"It gives me homework to exercise my faith and pray for her and her family to be able to forgive him and not let this hinder her life," he said.
Clarke is being held in jail on $660,000 bond and if Clarke gets out of jail he has to wear a GPS monitor and cannot have contact with the victims or any other minors. Pembroke Pines Police say they fear there might be other victims out there. If you have any information contact the police department.
