Seventh-Day Adventist Church Facing Lawsuit for Appointing Pedophile as Youth Leader

Carrie Dedrick | Updated: Aug 28, 2014

Seventh-Day Adventist Church Facing Lawsuit for Appointing Pedophile as Youth Leader

The Seventh-Day Adventist Church is facing a $13.5 million lawsuit for allegedly appointing a known pedophile to a youth group leader position. Two men have said they were sexually abused by the youth leader while involved with the “Pathfinder” group in the 1970s.

Leslie Bovee, who had previously served time in prison for sexually abusing three boys, was appointed to head the Pathfinders group, a co-ed youth program in 1972. Bovee was charged again in 1975 for molesting a 12-year-old boy, but continued to lead the group until he left the church in 1979.

Attorney Peter Janci, representing the plaintiffs said, "This is a situation where they knew this guy had abused kids and they didn't just let him in the church, they put him in charge of the youth program.”

Charisma News reports the men filed suit against the Seventh-Day Adventist Church when they learned the church knew that Bovee was a known sex offender. 

Richard Whittemore, attorney to the Seventh-Day Adventist Church said, "The church is very aware of all of the issues and takes great pains to make sure this kind of behavior is not going to be repeated.”

Publication date: August 28, 2014



Seventh-Day Adventist Church Facing Lawsuit for Appointing Pedophile as Youth Leader