S. Carolina megachurch has history of child sex abuse claims

CHARLESTON, S.C. – A newspaper is reporting that a South Carolina megachurch with a volunteer accused of sexually assaulting 14 children has a history of child sexual misconduct cases.

The Post and Courier reports 28-year-old Jacop Hazlett is the fourth NewSpring Church worker to be accused since 2016.

The Southern Baptist church has 14 campuses where 20,000 weekly attendees donate $41 million a year.

In each case, the paper says, church officials have expressed shock and fired the accused.

In 2016, volunteer Leo La Salle Comissions admitted to fondling a teen on a church campus, and volunteer Chaz McKinsey Wood admitted to molesting a 10-year-old. Each pleaded guilty to assault and received probation. Youth pastor Caleb Lide Jordan’s case is pending; he’s accused of soliciting sex from a minor last year.

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Information from: The Post and Courier, http://www.postandcourier.com