AL--Ex-Alabama preacher arrested on child sex crimes; Victims respond
For immediate release: Friday, July 3
Statement by Amy Smith, Dallas co-leader of SNAP (281-748-4050, watchkeepa[email protected])
A former Alabama pastor who’s accused of repeatedly abusing two boys has been arrested in New Orleans.
Ryan Scott Rodgers is charged with sexual battery and seven counts of indecent behavior with juveniles. He worked at Liberty Park Baptist Church in Vestavia Hills for six years (from 2003 through 2009), According to Liberty’s pastor Scott Guffin.
http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2015/07/former_vestavia_hills_youth_pa.html
http://www.theneworleansadvocate.com/sports/southern/12741975-171/police-seek-youth-pastor-who
Law enforcement is urging others to come forward with any information about Rodgers’ alleged child sex crimes, because detectives believe Rodgers sexually assaulted other victims during the same time period. (Call Detective Taillon at 504-658-5753.) We beg anyone who may have seen, suspected or suffered Rodgers’ crimes to do their civic and moral duty and call law enforcement.
Investigators are waiting on background checks from Mississippi and Alabama. http://www.wwltv.com/story/news/local/orleans/2015/06/24/youth-minister-accused-of-molesting-teens/29254401/
We beg Baptist officials in Alabama and Louisiana - and anywhere else Rodgers has worked - to show courage and compassion by actively seeking out anyone else who may have been hurt by Rodgers.
It’s the responsibility of those with information or suspicions about sex crimes to call police. Church officials gave Rodgers access to innocent kids. So church officials need to step up, speak out, reach out and try to find and help his victims while also helping law enforcement convict him.
(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the world’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. SNAP was founded in 1988 and has more than 20,000 members. Despite the word “priest” in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
Contact - David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, S[email protected]), Barbara Dorris (314-503-0003 cell, [email protected]), Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747, [email protected]), Amy Smith (281-748-4050,[email protected])
Winter Appeal 2023
To our friends,
2023 has been a long year with many ups and downs for us all. As we close out the year, we at SNAP hope that you are feeling like you are on your way to being healthy, fulfilled, and happy. This past year has brought both successes and challenges. Thanks to the support you have shown in the past, we’ve been able to celebrate the good days and weather the stormy ones. Now, we are once again asking for your support as we work to support survivors new and old as we ‘Move SNAP Forward.’
At SNAP we are proud to have hosted a very well-attended conference in August 2023. This event allowed us to gather friends, survivors, advocates, and allies for a weekend of camaraderie and connection. We were so happy to be able to welcome many first-time attendees to gather in person and are already looking forward to the next conference.
To strengthen our movement for justice, healing, and prevention, SNAP will be expanding our peer support and providing more volunteer opportunities in the coming year. Through this great work, we are ensuring survivor voices are represented as we work for significant change that will benefit children and survivors.
Right now, survivors worldwide are getting the help they need from SNAP, and more and more reach out to us daily, but we need your help to keep those programs going and get our volunteers the training they need to thrive.
Your tax-deductible gift to SNAP can help offset the cost of our important mission. If you are not in a position to contribute, you can still support us by sharing this letter with those who can. As we continue to fight for survivors across the globe, your donation or sharing the great work SNAP does will help us continue our work to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded, and prevent abuse.
Your donation ensures SNAP will be there for those who need us more than ever!
Warmly,
Michael W. McDonnell, C.P.S.
Interim Executive Director
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