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April 29, 2005
Michael Jackson trial prompted boy to report that evangelist abused him
DELAND -- The investigation of an Internet evangelist arrested Wednesday on child-molestation charges was spurred by TV coverage of pop star Michael Jackson's trial.
A boy, who was 9 at the time of the alleged sexual assault, told his mother about the abuse after seeing the Jackson trial on television, according to records obtained from the DeLand Police Department.
Three other victims, both male and female, have been identified, said Cmdr. Randel Henderson, a DeLand police spokesman.
Though police would not confirm the name of the 60-year-old DeLand resident arrested Wednesday, jail officials identified him as Charles Michael Balfe. He was being held at the Volusia County Branch Jail without bail on charges of sexual battery, molestation and domestic violence.
According to police records and several petitions for restraining orders filed Wednesday against Balfe, he had numerous guns and knives and often threatened his victims' lives.
One person wrote in a petition that Balfe also insinuated he had connections to organized crime: "[There were] repeated incidents of Chuck saying . . . if I wanted to take somebody out . . . I could get someone else to do it and I would never be suspected because I'd be miles away from the scene with an alibi."
Another alleged victim told police that Balfe had surveillance cameras placed around his house and that he spied on his victims.
Though Balfe bills himself as an Internet evangelist and operates a religious Web site, it is unclear if he ever has held a position of authority in a brick-and-mortar church.
Balfe is a regular attendee of First Christian Church of DeLand, said parishioner Kathy Porr, 48.
"We're trying to hold on through all this stuff and stay supportive of the family," Porr said Thursday at the church.
Posted by Nealus at April 29, 2005 04:30 PM
