Deep Thoughts: Youth Pastor David Esarey convicted

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Youth Pastor David Esarey convicted

Baptist youth pastor David Esarey was convicted of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl.

David Esarey mouthed the words, "I love you," to his sobbing wife and then shrugged after a Superior Court jury of three men and three women found him guilty of second-degree sexual assault, promoting a minor in an obscene performance, possession of child pornography and three counts of risk of injury to a minor.
He faces up to 95 years in prison when he is sentenced

Esarey waited to have sex with his wife until they were married. Then he stalked and assaulted a 15-year-old girl. These predators are an odd lot. It does not reconcile how can they live two lives, an honorable public life and an decrepit private life. It reminds me of serial killers I've read about. They assume the role of loving husbands yet at times are horrible butchers, their wives completely unaware. I wonder if his wife knew?

I'd love to blame Baptists, but I see it too often in other religions. What motivates a man, a pastor no less, to take advantage of a young girl like this? I'll never know.

Many of you know I'm in China on a business trip. Each night I sit at a bar drinking soda water (wink, wink) and talking with my friends. We also talk to a half dozen beautiful young girls who work the bar and restaurant floor each night, all around 22 or 23. I'm near 50 now, when I look at these girls I see young women the age of my children and in need of protection, not girls ready for conquest. I see them through the eyes of a father. I recognize they are beautiful, but my thoughts don't go down the road of sexual conquest. I think I'm normal in this mindset, at least by comparison to my friends. When I read about youth pastors like Esarey, I recoil. Their actions are horrible. I keep looking for a common thread. I think I've found it… power over others. Power and the autonomy granted to those in clergy can lead to corruption of the worst sort. Teachers, pastors, and counselors, they all have this type of power. Why do they choose to abuse it?

Comments (17)

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Bruce Lllama · 785 weeks ago

I wonder if they actually see it as wrong, and if they do perhaps they think jesus will forgive them, so they can rationalise it away

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Baconsbud 96p · 785 weeks ago

I don't think that these guys are that much different then others when it comes to hiding the dark side of their lives. Most people haven't got much of a dark side but even they will try to keep it hidden from those close to them. Look at the many gay or bi politicians that have been caught lately and you can see similarities. I figure power is some of the reason for their actions but I don't think it is so much getting power but using the power of their position to get what they want. Many people allow religion and those that preach it to have vast amounts of power and what does power usually do to people?

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sad · 785 weeks ago

David is innocent, the girl lied about it all. She changed her story several times on the stand, and even admitted to putting the pictures on his computer as a bet from friends. Davids apartment was open to kids while he was gone. This is a Sad sad cause, but unfortunatly the wrong person is being charges, I pray every day the truth comes out

1 reply · active 785 weeks ago

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Mojoey 107p · 785 weeks ago

It's all about the verdict. A jury of his peers found the facts credible enough to convict. He can tell his story in 95 years.

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CrrctVerdict · 784 weeks ago

The case was not built upon the girls testimony, but on the physical evidence found on his computer and on his cell phone. As it says in the Bible, what is done in the dark will always be brought into the light. It wasn't a one time incident, but multiple over the course of months.

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Someone · 775 weeks ago

It's sad. He was a good man. Hate the sin, NOT the sinner. He made a mistake, a big one.
Is the girl completely innocent? I think not, she was definitely old enough to understand what she was doing. She had a crush on him for the longest time, and when she found out that David was getting married, she was extremely jealous. I saw the evil looks she cast at the future Mrs. Esarey. She hated her. She expressed to multiple people how David's fiance was no good, and that David should get rid of her.
Is he innocent? Sad to say, no, I don't think he is. I wish it had been different.

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Fool · 736 weeks ago

Interesting, the same girl who claims he ruined her life almost ruined a boy she was in high school with. She attempted to join in lude sexual acts with a boy and her friend. When they were caught by a school official the girls cried rape. She claimed "she was helping her friend." How do you help a friend with your pants off? I don't blame the girl, but she got what she asked for. It's such a sad thing to think that his life is ruined because of this manipulator of a girl.

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

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Baconsbud 96p · 736 weeks ago

It is so sad that people always wants to blame the victim when it involves a preacher or minister. Where is your proof that this happened? I figure you are just another person who believes that pastors are above others and would never break the law or rules. I also figure you jump on the band wagon when people speak ill of the catholic priest for their actions involving the rape of minors.

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Fool · 736 weeks ago

To be honest, I'm 100% for the law and I do not blame the victim. You want proof? Call the school or the police station. Better yet, call the parents who had to watch their teenager sit in a cell, accused of rape. Yes, that minister was ignorant and went along with it. He is more to blame than her, but you can not act as if he is the soul reason for this to happen. It takes two to tango. At 15-16 you know what sex is. I'm sure in their church they preached about abstinence, obviously she wasn't listening those days and Mr. Esarey was not practicing what he preached. In the end she goes off to college and has a boyfriend. Esarey gets locked up while his wife waits for him at home. Justice? Makes me sick to think that girl can even look at herself in the mirror without cringing.

1 reply · active 736 weeks ago

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Baconsbud 96p · 736 weeks ago

You say you aren't blaming the victim but turn around and talk about how bad she is. It doesn't matter if the victim knows about sex and if you do think it matters then you don't understand why the law was enacted. It wasn't enacted because teens don't know about sex but because adults can easily manipulate teens into agreeing to many things that isn't in their best interest. If you go with the logic of someone knowing about sex making it ok, how young does that mean?

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deleted8470268 143p · 736 weeks ago

Way to go Baconsbud! They just don't get it ! They're bible is so corrupting they can justify any horrible act! Because they're god has already done far worse.

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fool · 735 weeks ago

For your information I'm Roman Catholic and could care less if what the hell my religion believes, because I can believe what ever the hell I want and the fact that she cried wolf before this whole happened just shows that she's got issues. See her now? Photos of her drinking on facebook for the world to see. What kind of drugs does she do? I'd wonder. Next thing you know you're going to say that this Youth Minister caused it all. Bull !@#$. This girl solely ruined the life of this man. She sleeps around as if her life depended on it. Before AND After Mr. Esarey. I don't blame her, I blame the parents.

3 replies · active 735 weeks ago

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Mojoey 107p · 735 weeks ago

Sorry dude - she was 15 and he was a pastor. He should have stopped himself. The girl was below he age of consent. He should have stopped himself. He was a Christian. He should have stopped himself. He was a pastor. He should have stopped himself. Did the minister case it all. Hell yes - he was the adult in this situation.

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Baconsbud 96p · 735 weeks ago

You might call yourself Catholic but if you do believe whatever you want and not what the church tells you to believe you aren't. You sound like someone who actually has little or no understanding of what religion actually is. Try studying your religion and see how it isn't suppose to change but is suppose to be the same today as it was 1500 years ago. Of course if it didn't change it wouldn't exist now. It doesn't matter if the girl sleeps around all that matters is adults should follow the laws and keep these things from happening. I guess you are one of those that is like those in Texas that are blaming the 11 year old rape victim for her rape.

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take responsibility · 731 weeks ago

She was 15, he was 31. He had a fiancee and was a minister. She told him a boy wanted naked pictures of her, he said send them to me first and i'll see if you should send them. He send pictures of his penis to her. He had sex with her in a closet in room 3. Whether or not she was promiscuous, does not matter. He should have controlled himself, got her help, like he is supposed to do as a minister, counsel her, show her the right way to live life, not take advantage of a misguided teen. He took advantage of his position as youth minister, and deserved to get far more than the 8 years. The STate offerred him 8 months. Esarey put, most importantly, the victim, his mother, father, wife, mother in law, brothers, family and the entire parish through this trial just to continue with his lie. He should have copped out and spared everyone from hearing all the graphic evidence that the state had.

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nonhero · 516 weeks ago

Its a shame that people are willing to write bad things about people when they don't know what happened or what's going on. But when something happens to them, its always a misunderstanding. The people that write these things are usually worse than the people they write about.

1 reply · active 516 weeks ago

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Mojoey 107p · 516 weeks ago

Writing about child molesters is not morally equivalent to molesting a child. Are you simple?

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