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70-Y-O Pastor Married for 53 Years Found Guilty of Molesting Grandchildren; Faces Life in Prison

Pastor Roy Harriger, 70.
Pastor Roy Harriger, 70. | (Photo: Facebook)

A 70-year-old pastor who celebrated his 53rd wedding anniversary this month left behind a trail of grief and confusion Monday, when after years of speculation he was found guilty by a jury of sexually molesting two of his grandchildren.

According to WKBW, pastor Roy Harriger of Community Fellowship Church in the town of Hartland, New York, was finally convicted of two of three counts of coercive criminal sexual conduct against a child by a jury Monday in a case that could have ended in a mistrial.

Harriger had originally faced three counts of incest but those charges were dropped. He was found guilty of molesting two of his grandchildren 12 years ago when he was pastor of Wesleyan Church in Lyndonville. At least 15 people in three states came forward and signed affidavits claiming Harriger molested them as children when he was arrested by authorities last year. Unfortunately, many of those cases are past the statute of limitations so he could not be held accountable for them.

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And at one point during the case it almost appeared that Harriger would get away with the crime. Jurors, according to WKBW, began deliberating the case against the pastor last Friday but they were unable to reach a verdict before the court closed. They were sent home and set to go over the testimony of three witnesses on Monday. On the weekend, however, a pipe reportedly broke in the court recorder's office drenching a laptop that contained all the testimony. On Monday she was unable to retrieve the testimony which caused a delay that could've resulted in a mistrial. The data was eventually recovered, the case proceeded, and Harriger was found guilty in the Orleans County Court amid cheers, tears and gasps of surprise.

"I thought of him as my father. The only dad I knew. And for him to do this to my kids killed me because I couldn't believe that a man who was supposed to be a man of God would do this, to anybody. So I just thank whoever is up there, putting him away for good, where he needs to go. I want my kids to enjoy the rest of their lives knowing that he's in jail," said one of the pastor's family members whose identity was withheld for privacy reasons.

Harriger, who's out on bail, is banned from attending his church and interacting with children. He will remain free until his sentencing on April 6. He faces up to 25 years in prison for each count.

Last January, in celebration of 52 years of marriage to his wife, Darlene, Harriger posted on his Facebook page: "Fifty two years ago today Rev. H.D. (Dan) Cornelius said I pronounce you husband and wife. Happy Anniversary Darlene I Love You."

Contact: leonardo.blair@christianpost.com Follow Leonardo Blair on Twitter: @leoblair Follow Leonardo Blair on Facebook: LeoBlairChristianPost

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