SHAWNEE MAN, 91, CHARGED WITH CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE; ALLEGATIONS OF CHURCH COVER-UP SURFACE

[Artaxerxes II]

https://hoodline.com/2024/11/shawnee-ma ... p-surface/

An Oklahoma man has been charged with multiple counts of sexual abuse, amid allegations that a local church concealed his actions for years. 91-year-old Charles Sulivant from Shawnee faces charges linked to the alleged molestation of underage girls at the First Church of the Nazarene, where he was a member, News 9 reports.

The accusation which spans from 2008 to as recently as eight years ago, includes a claim from one survivor that Sulivant tried to "get under her clothes" when she was just nine years old, as per court records obtained by KOCO. Another victim described an incident where Sulivant "pulled her into him and started 'rubbing his [genitals] against her butt.'"

Shawnee Police Public Information Officer Cpl. Vivian Lozano specified that four victims had been interviewed and emphasized, "You’re trusting your kids to be in a safe place and for them to be assaulted or to not feel safe ... that’s not fair to these kids," in a statement obtained by News 9. Meanwhile, court records indicate church officials, including Senior Pastor Johnny Stephens, had prior knowledge of these incidents but did not report them to authorities. Addressed by News 9, Stephens was quoted saying he'll provide comments if the matter goes to court and added, "I do believe I will be vindicated."

In a contrasting account, former pastor at the church, Dinnel, told KFOR that he reported the allegations to the Department of Human Services around 2016. However, he claimed Dunn, another pastor, advised against further action, citing church authority prohibitions. Dinnel also expressed concern over potential job threats if the reports were escalated. He suspects the church aimed to suppress documentation of the events.

If found guilty, Sulivant may face a minimum sentence of 25 years in prison. The Shawnee Police Department believes more survivors may exist and encourages those with information to reach out. The Pottawatomie County District Attorney’s Office has charged Sulivant with two counts of Lewd or Indecent Acts to a child under 16 years old, yet the office had not responded to requests for comment by the indicated news deadline, according to News 9.