Pastor Royce Shorter is already a convicted sexual predator. He raped a 13-year-old girl back in 1985. And with the whole Christian redemption and forgiveness thing, was freed to prey on children again as a pastor and music teacher. Now he stands accused of grooming and raping young girls, but this time he’s looking at life in prison. If the crimes are so heinous and he is a credible threat to society, why is he allowed out on bail with just an electronic monitor? Could it be because he’s a pastor? Of course, having a congregation that believes in you does not hurt.
The Rev. Royce Shorter, 54, was arrested and charged in February with two counts of third-degree rape and one count of third-degree child molestation, court records show. Members of Shorter's church "pooled their money" to post his $350,000 bail, according to defense attorney Amy Muth. Jail records show he was released less than 24 hours after he was booked.
Authorities think Shorter is a serial rapists.
Since Shorter's arrest in February, six women have contacted Seattle police detectives and described similar sexual abuse at the hands of Shorter, now the minister of music at the Greater New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Seattle's Rainier Valley. Shorter was previously the choir director at Emerald City Seventh-day Adventist Church in Seattle's Central Area.
It is wise to let him roam free?
Clergy Sexual Abuse, Rape, Hypocrisy
