Pastor Accused of Sexual Abuse

Los Angeles police are working with St. Louis authorities to investigate sexual abuse allegations against the Rev. Sylvester Laudermill Jr., pastor of Ward AME Church, officials said Monday.

Laudermill was pastor of the prominent St. Peter AME church in St. Louis from 1994 to 2004, when he came to Los Angeles and Ward, near the USC campus. He was placed on temporary administrative leave from Ward on March 3, pending the outcome of church investigations into allegations of sexual abuse of a minor in St. Louis as well as an undisclosed allegation in Los Angeles, according to authorities.

“We’re in contact with St. Louis and we are looking into any matters they bring to our attention that could impact the situation here in Los Angeles,” said Lt. Manny Hernandez of the Los Angeles Police Department’s child protection section of the juvenile services division. “The investigation’s continuing.”

According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, a 25-year-old man told police there that Laudermill began a sexual relationship with him when he was 14.

St. Louis police took the complaint to that city’s circuit attorney’s office Jan. 31, but the office declined to bring charges at that time, officials there said. The St. Louis investigation is ongoing, however, according to attorney Ed Postawko, and the circuit attorney’s office will decide whether to file charges within two weeks.

“At the time it was brought to us, we felt there was still some work that needed to be done -- more investigation,” Postawko said, explaining why no charges were filed initially.

Bishop John Bryant, presiding prelate of the 5th Episcopal District, which includes Los Angeles and St. Louis, declined to comment. But several members of the Ward congregation said he held a members-only meeting earlier this month at which he said issues involving Laudermill were similar to ones dealt with in the last two years by the Catholic Church.

Across the country, the Catholic Church as been mired in a child sexual abuse scandal the last several years.

In the meantime, the AME church is conducting two investigations into the allegations against Laudermill.

Administrative efficiency committees, the internal bodies that handle formal complaints against African Methodist Episcopal clergy, have been convened in L.A. and St. Louis, church attorney Stan Sanders said. He declined to comment on the specifics of the L.A. complaint.

“The committee will hear from the pastor who’s been accused and the complainant,” Sanders said. “It will look at the evidence and then make a recommendation to the presiding prelate about what, if any, disciplinary measures should be taken.”

The committee has 60 days from the date a complaint is received to hold a hearing, and must issue a written decision within 30 days of the hearing’s conclusion, he said.

Retired minister Cecil “Chip” Murray will fill in for Laudermill until the matters are resolved, Sanders said.