Pennsylvania Attorney General Charges 5 Members of Jehovah’s Witnesses with Child Sexual Abuse

Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry announced on Friday that five members of Jehovah’s Witnesses congregations have been charged with child sexual abuse. These charges come after a lengthy investigation into allegations of sexual abuse within the religious community.

Attorney General Michelle Henry expressed her deep concern and distress particularly as the members of Jehovah’s Witnesses congregations exploited their faith communities and their own families to gain access to their victims. (Photo: Delco Time)

5 Members of Jehovah’s Witnesses Face Child Sexual Abuse Charges

The victims, who were also members of Jehovah’s Witnesses congregations, were targeted and abused by the perpetrators who gained their trust through the organization, CNN reported.

The charges filed by the attorney general’s office are against five members of Jehovah’s Witnesses congregations: David Balosa (62), Errol William Hall (50), Shaun Sheffer (45), Terry Booth (57), and Luis Manuel Ayala-Velasquez (55) for sexually abusing minors across the state of Pennsylvania.

These charges against the five members of Jehovah’s Witnesses are part of an ongoing investigation into child abuse within the Jehovah’s Witnesses community, initiated by the attorney general’s office in 2019.

Attorney General Michelle Henry expressed her deep concern and distress over the nature of these crimes, particularly as the defendants exploited their faith communities and their own families to gain access to their victims.

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Individual Charges for the 5 Members of Jehovah’s Witnesses

David Balosa, a resident of Philadelphia, has been charged with indecent assault, aggravated indecent assault, and corruption of minors. He allegedly sexually assaulted a 4-year-old girl when he was in his 30s. He met the child through the Jehovah’s Witnesses community.

Errol William Hall faces charges of indecent assault forcible compulsion, indecent assault without consent, and corruption of minors. He is accused of inappropriately touching a 16-year-old girl he met within the community.

Shaun Sheffer has been charged with rape, aggravated indecent assault, involuntary deviant sexual intercourse, indecent assault, and corruption of minors. The allegations involve the repeated rape of his developmentally disabled younger sister, since when she was 7 years old.

Terry Booth has been charged with indecent assault and corruption of minors. He engaged in inappropriate sexual conversations with a 16-year-old boy he was mentoring within the Jehovah’s Witnesses congregation, which escalated to inappropriate touching without the victim’s consent.

Luis Manuel Ayala-Velasquez faces charges of rape, involuntary deviant sexual intercourse, indecent assault, aggravated indecent assault, endangering the welfare of children, and corruption of minors. He is accused of sexually assaulting his own daughter on multiple occasions.

Bail has been set for all five members of Jehovah’s Witnesses, according to the attorney general’s office and criminal court dockets.

While each of the five cases is distinct, they share a common thread: all the defendants and victims were members of Jehovah’s Witnesses congregations at the time of the alleged abuse.

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