Tony Alamo Guilty Underage Sex

Jurors convict evangelist on 10 sex-abuse counts

TEXARKANA, Ark. — Tony Alamo, a one-time street preacher who built a multimillion-dollar ministry and became an outfitter of the stars, was convicted Friday of taking girls as young as 9 across state lines for sex.
Alamo stood silently as the verdict was read, a contrast to his occasional mutterings during testimony. His five victims sat looking forward in the gallery. One, a woman he "married" at age 8, wiped away a tear.
"I'm just another one of the prophets that went to jail for the Gospel," Alamo called to reporters afterward as he was escorted to a waiting U.S. marshal's vehicle.
Shouts of "Bye, bye, Bernie" — Alamo was born Bernie Lazar Hoffman — came from a crowd gathered on the Arkansas side of the courthouse, which straddles the Texas-Arkansas border. Jurors were convinced Alamo had had sex with the girls when they were underage, but deliberated for more than a day to ensure that they considered everything, jury foreman Frank Oller of Texarkana said
"That was the evidence. That was proven," Oller said. "We came up with a full decision that we are quite satisfied with." Defense lawyer Don Ervin said the evidence against the 74-year-old preacher was insufficient and that the preacher would appeal. He also said Alamo's criminal history — he served four years in prison on tax charges in the 1990s — "will hurt him" at sentencing in six to eight weeks.
"We believe he will face the rest of his natural life in prison," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyra Jenner. The penalties on the 10 charges total 175 years in prison, she said, and violations of the century-old Mann Act also carry fines of up to $250,000 each.
The five women, now age 17 to 33, told jurors that Alamo "married" them in private ceremonies while they were minors, sometimes giving them wedding rings. Each detailed trips beyond Arkansas' borders for Alamo's sexual gratification.
Alamo never testified. Though he announced to reporters that he wanted to, his lawyers told him he should not directly challenge their testimony and the attorneys argued to jurors that the girls traveled for legitimate church business.
State and federal agents raided Alamo's compound last Sept. 20 after repeated reports of abuse. Defense lawyers said the government targeted Alamo because it doesn't like his apocalyptic brand of Christianity. Alamo has blamed the Vatican for his legal troubles, which include a four-year prison term for tax evasion in the 1990s.
With little physical evidence, prosecutors relied on the women's stories to paint an emotional portrait of a charismatic religious leader who controlled every aspect of his subjects' lives. No one obtained food, clothing or transportation without him knowing about it.
At times, men were ordered away from the compound and their wives kept as another Alamo bride. Minor offenses from either gender drew beatings or starvation fasts.
In the end, prosecutors convinced jurors in Arkansas' conservative Christian climate that Alamo's ministry offered him the opportunity to prey on the young girls of loyal followers who believed him to be a prophet who spoke directly to God. They described a ministry that ran on the fear of drawing the anger of "Papa Tony."
"You really appreciate the courage that they showed stepping up to face their demons," said Thomas Browne, the special agent in charge of the FBI office at Little Rock.
Alamo remained defiant during the trial. He openly referred to the Branch Davidian raid at Waco, Texas, muttered expletives during testimony and fell asleep at times — while alleged victims spoke from the witness stand and again as prosecutors urged his conviction.
He had built his multistate ministry on the backs of followers who worked in various businesses to support the church. In the 1980s, he designed and sold elaborately decorated denim jackets, hobnobbed with celebrities and owned a compound in western Arkansas that featured a heart-shaped swimming pool.
Federal agents seized a large portion of his assets in the 1990s to settle tax claims after courts declared his operations a business, not a church. Among items offered for auction were the plans for the studded jacket Michael Jackson wore on his "Bad" album.
The Southern Poverty Law Center considers his ministry a cult. The woman considered to be Alamo's common-law wife, Sharon Alamo, and several other of his 100-200 followers missed the verdict, hustling up the courthouse stairs and entering an empty courtroom five minutes after court adjourned.

Evangelist's compound raided in child abuse case - CNN.com

(CNN) -- Federal and state police raided an evangelist's compound in Arkansas late Saturday to investigate whether any children have been physically or sexually abused, officials said.

The raid is part of a two-year investigation into a compound near Texarkana, Arkansas, owned by Tony Alamo Christian Ministries, said Bill Sadler of the Arkansas State Police. About 100 agents were on the 10- to 15-acre site late Saturday and met with no resistance, he said.

Alamo, reached by phone in Los Angeles, California, denied any wrongdoing.

"It's a hoax," Alamo said. "They're just trying to make our church look evil ... by saying I'm a pornographer. Saying that I rape little children. ... I love children. I don't abuse them. Never have. Never will." Watch Alamo deny the allegations »

Asked why authorities were searching the property, Alamo compared himself to Christ.

"Why were they after Jesus?" he asked. "It's the same reason. Jesus is living within me."

It was not known how many children may live at the compound and whether Alamo would be arrested, Sadler said.

Federal and state agents were executing two search warrants, Sadler said late Saturday, and no arrest warrants had been issued.

"Children were interviewed and continue to be interviewed at this hour and likely will continue to be interviewed tomorrow," Sadler told CNN.

In addition to FBI agents and Arkansas state police, officials with the state Department of Human Services participated in the raid at the church property in the town of Fouke, about 12 miles from Texarkana.

Alamo, who turned 74 Saturday, is an evangelist who also has dabbled as a singer and entrepreneur. Critics regard his ministry as a cult. The group has faced lawsuits and government actions, and Alamo has been arrested several times, publications have reported over the years.

Alamo is well-known in Arkansas, said Lynn LaRowe, a reporter with the Texarkana Gazette."It's not very rare to come out of any baseball game to find Alamo literature on your car," LaRowe said. "Around here, he is an extremely controversial character."

Alamo denied the existence of a compound, saying there are just houses "for miles" around his church.

Evangelist's compound raided in child abuse case - CNN.com

Tony Alamo Church Raided

Tony Alamo warned by former govenment agent July 19,2007

Evangelist Tony Alamo Guilty! Convicted of Sexual Exploitation

Evangelist Tony Alamo Guilty! Convicted of Sexual Exploitation FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS
Department of Justice Press Release
July 24, 2009 United States Attorney's Office
Western District of Arkansas
Contact: (479) 783-5125
Former Evangelist Convicted of Sexual Exploitation Offenses.
TEXARKANA, AR—Bernie Hoffman, aka Tony Alamo, founder and leader of the Tony Alamo Christian Ministries, age 74, was convicted today by a jury in the U.S. District Court in the Western District of Arkansas, of charges that he transported minor girls across state lines with the intent to engage in sexual activity that would be a violation of state law, in violation of Title 18 U.S. C. Section 2423. The jury found Alamo guilty on all 10 counts of the federal indictment, announced Deborah Groom, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, and Thomas J. Browne, Special Agent in Charge of the Little Rock Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The guilty verdict followed six days of testimony during which women testified Alamo had sexual relations with them while they were underage, and that they traveled across state lines with Alamo or at his request for the purpose of his having sexual relations with them. United States District Court Judge Harry F. Barnes presided over the trial.

Speaking of today's conviction, Acting United States Attorney, Deborah Groom, stated: “The United States Attorney's Office appreciates the jury's attention to the evidence presented in this case. We also wish to commend and extend gratitude to the agents of the FBI and the Arkansas State Police, who partnered in the investigation, for the dedication they exhibited throughout the investigation and prosecution. It is important that victims of child exploitation have the forum and opportunity to come forward, so that justice may be served.”

Special Agent in Charge Thomas Browne of the Little Rock Office of the FBI added: “This investigation has focused on the victims of crime. The young women who have come forward have been incredibly courageous. This investigation also highlights excellent cooperation by the Arkansas State Police, United States Attorney's Office, and the FBI.”

Colonel Winford Phillips, Director of the Arkansas State Police also added: “The outcome of this case should serve to send a chilling message to those who would prey upon the lives of young children. We're prepared, no matter how long it takes, to investigate and track down suspected child predators. I commend our department's special agents and those of the FBI who devoted untold hours to uphold a fundamental commitment that we have to protect the children of this state.”

A sentencing hearing will be scheduled by the court after a pre-sentence investigation is completed. Alamo can be sentenced to serve up to 30 years in prison on counts one, two, and ten of the indictment. He faces up to 15 years on counts three, four, and six, and up to 10 years imprisonment on counts five, seven, eight, and nine. Fines up to $250,000 on each count may be ordered. Alamo will continue to be held without bond.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims of abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Assistant United States Attorneys, Kyra Jenner, Candace Taylor and Clay Fowlkes prosecuted the case for the United States.
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Little Rock, Arkansas
(501) 228-8403
Arkansas State Police
Little Rock, Arkansas
FBI ARRESTS TONY ALAMO
At approximately 2:45 p.m. this afternoon (Central Time), FBI Special Agents arrested Bernie Hoffman, aka Tony Alamo, in Flagstaff, Arizona without incident. A federal Arrest Warrant was issued for Alamo, the founder and leader of the Tony Alamo Christian Ministries, by United States Magistrate Barry A. Bryant in the Western District of Arkansas for violating United States Code Title 18, Section 2423. This statute makes it a federal crime to knowingly transport a minor (under 18) across state lines with the intent to engage in sexual activity that would be a criminal offense under state law.

Alamo was arrested by FBI Agents from the Flagstaff Resident Agency, the Phoenix Field Office of the FBI, Officers from the Flagstaff Police Department and the Arizona Department of Public Safety, as he was leaving the Little America Hotel located at Interstate 40 and Butler Road in Flagstaff, AZ. FBI Agents from the Los Angeles Field Office also assisted in todays arrest.

Alamo will be scheduled for an Initial Appearance in Federal Court in Flagstaff to determine when he will be returned to Arkansas to face these charges. That hearing has not been scheduled at this time. A video interview containing a teenage follower of imprisoned evangelist Tony Alamo was leaked to the internet last month. That's got state officials pretty upset.

The interview was conducted by a state investigator a day after FBI agents and Arkansas State Police raided Alamo's Ministry in Fouke. On Wednesday, the state Department of Human Services sent a request to a Miller County Judge in an effort to get the video removed from the web. State law requires that juvenile court proceedings be kept confidential.

As to how the video got the internet, Julie Munsell, a spokeswoman for DHS, said it appeared that a family member gave the video to a web site called Inquisition Update.

In the interview, the 16 year old girl says that Alamo never touched her or had sex with underage girls for that matter. She also went on to defend Alamo saying that he would never tolerate something like that in the church let alone do it himself.

"He would never do such a thing. That's sin, he wouldn't even be a pastor, he would be dirt. He'd be nothing if he did that, he'd go to hell...Sometimes I think if everyone lived the way we did in our ministry I think the world would be perfect. It wouldn't have any crimes, no crime scenes. Nobody would ever get hurt," said the girl.

She also spoke to the welfare official about the end times being near because of all the recent natural disasters. Then she spoke of her pastor's healing hands.

"If there are sick people in the church he'll pray for them. Someone with Aids in the church - he prayed over them and they were healed...I trust a man of god who can heal diseases. For him to get an answer from god like that you know he's not going to be sinning. I trust him. I believe everything he says."

She is among 36 children associated with alamo ministries in Fort Smith and Fouke. All 36 are under the protection of the state.

As for the 74 year old Tony Alamo, he faces charges of violating the Mann Act, a federal law that bans carrying women or girls across state lines for "prostitution or debauchery, or for any other immoral purpose." He's pleaded not guilty.

~ nichopoulouzo
Tony Alamo aka Guilty Sexual Abuse Bernie Hoffman United States Code Title 18 Section 2423 under "Mann Act" nichopoulouzo prostitution debaucherychuck berry "little rock" fbi "LITTLE ROCK ARKANSAS" Former Evangelist Convicted "Sexual Exploitation"

Alamo Verdict: Guilty On All 10 Counts

Alamo Verdict: Guilty On All 10 Counts 

Reported by: Arkansasmatters.com

Friday, Jul 24, 2009 @02:11pm CST

A jury in Texarkana has found evangelist Tony Alamo guilty on all 10 federal counts filed against him that involved taking young girls across state lines for sex.

The 74-year-old self-proclaimed minister now faces the rest of his life in prison.

The jury had been deliberating since 8:30 this morning after being unable to reach a verdict in eight-and-a-half hours of deliberations on Thursday. Their verdict came in shortly after 10 o'clock.

KARK (NBC Little Rock) Reporter Pete Thompson reported that the verdict was something of a shock to people waiting in the courtroom.

He says some people gasped in reaction to the news, and that some of the victims in the case who were seated in the back of the courtroom began crying when the verdict was read.

Each count carries a 10 to 30 year jail term, which could add up to a 175-year sentence for Alamo.

It's not yet known when he will be sentenced.

Court issued press release on verdict:

Bernie Hoffman, a/k/a Tony Alamo, founder and leader of the Tony Alamo Christian Ministries, age 74, was convicted today by a jury in the U.S. District Court in the Western District of Arkansas, of charges that he transported minor girls across state lines with the intent to engage in sexual activity that would be a violation of state law, in violation of Title 18 U.S. C. Section 2423.

The jury found Alamo guilty on all 10 counts of the federal indictment, announced Deborah Groom, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, and Thomas J. Browne, Special Agent in Charge of the Little Rock Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The guilty verdict followed six days of testimony during which women testified Alamo had sexual relations with them while they were underage, and that they traveled across state lines with Alamo or at his request for the purpose of his having sexual relations with them. United States District Court Judge Harry F. Barnes presided over the trial.

Speaking of today’s conviction, Acting United States Attorney, Deborah Groom, stated: “The United States Attorney’s Office appreciates the jury’s attention to the evidence presented in this case. We also wish to commend and extend gratitude to the agents of the FBI and the Arkansas State Police, who partnered in the investigation, for the dedication they exhibited throughout the investigation and prosecution. It is important that victims of child exploitation have the forum and opportunity to come forward, so that justice may be served.”

Special Agent in Charge Thomas Browne of the Little Rock Office of the FBI added: “This investigation has focused on the victims of crime. The young women who have come forward have been incredibly courageous. This investigation also highlights excellent cooperation by the Arkansas State Police, United States Attorney’s Office, and the FBI."

Colonel Winford Phillips, Director of the Arkansas State Police also added: “The outcome of this case should serve to send a chilling message to those who would prey upon the lives of young children. We’re prepared, no matter how long it takes, to investigate and track down suspected child predators. I commend our department’s special agents and those of the FBI who devoted untold hours to uphold a fundamental commitment that we have to protect the children of this state.”

A sentencing hearing will be scheduled by the court after a pre-sentence investigation is completed. Alamo can be sentenced to serve up to 30 years in prison on counts one, two, and ten of the Indictment. He faces up to 15 years on counts three, four, and six, and up to 10 years imprisonment on counts five, seven, eight, and nine. Fines up to $250,000 on each count may be ordered. Alamo will continue to be held without bond.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims of abuse. Click here for more information about Project Safe Childhood.

Alamo Verdict: Guilty On All 10 Counts

Special Agent Thomas J. Browne - GOOD JOB, TJB! NOW, CAN I GET A REFUND ON THE CLOTHES I BOUGHT FROM HIM? FBI Little Rock

Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Browne

LITTLE ROCK DIVISION'S PUBLIC CORRUPTION PROGRAM

Public Corruption is generally defined as abuse of public trust, in violation of criminal law. A public official is any person elected, appointed, under contract, and/or a private individual who has or is engaging in a corrupt scheme that involves either a direct or indirect abuse of the public official's trust and/or undermines the integrity of federal, state or local governmental operations in violation of federal law.

The Little Rock Division is committed to the aggressive investigation of viable allegations of public corruption, which is the FBI's top criminal priority. Anyone wishing to report a possible public corruption violation can do so utilizing the Little Rock FBI's Public Corruption Hotline (501) 221-8200

FBI Little Rock Field Office Home Page

SCUPE! Former Evangelist Convicted of Sexual Exploitation Offenses - MINUTES AGO! - FBI - The Little Rock Division: Press Release

Department of Justice Press Release

For Immediate Release July 24, 2009	United States Attorney's Office Western District of Arkansas Contact: (479) 783-5125
Former Evangelist Convicted of Sexual Exploitation Offenses TEXARKANA, AR—Bernie Hoffman, aka Tony Alamo, founder and leader of the Tony Alamo Christian Ministries, age 74, was convicted today by a jury in the U.S. District Court in the Western District of Arkansas, of charges that he transported minor girls across state lines with the intent to engage in sexual activity that would be a violation of state law, in violation of Title 18 U.S. C. Section 2423. The jury found Alamo guilty on all 10 counts of the federal indictment, announced Deborah Groom, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, and Thomas J. Browne, Special Agent in Charge of the Little Rock Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The guilty verdict followed six days of testimony during which women testified Alamo had sexual relations with them while they were underage, and that they traveled across state lines with Alamo or at his request for the purpose of his having sexual relations with them. United States District Court Judge Harry F. Barnes presided over the trial. Speaking of today's conviction, Acting United States Attorney, Deborah Groom, stated: “The United States Attorney's Office appreciates the jury's attention to the evidence presented in this case. We also wish to commend and extend gratitude to the agents of the FBI and the Arkansas State Police, who partnered in the investigation, for the dedication they exhibited throughout the investigation and prosecution. It is important that victims of child exploitation have the forum and opportunity to come forward, so that justice may be served.” Special Agent in Charge Thomas Browne of the Little Rock Office of the FBI added: “This investigation has focused on the victims of crime. The young women who have come forward have been incredibly courageous. This investigation also highlights excellent cooperation by the Arkansas State Police, United States Attorney's Office, and the FBI.” Colonel Winford Phillips, Director of the Arkansas State Police also added: “The outcome of this case should serve to send a chilling message to those who would prey upon the lives of young children. We're prepared, no matter how long it takes, to investigate and track down suspected child predators. I commend our department's special agents and those of the FBI who devoted untold hours to uphold a fundamental commitment that we have to protect the children of this state.” A sentencing hearing will be scheduled by the court after a pre-sentence investigation is completed. Alamo can be sentenced to serve up to 30 years in prison on counts one, two, and ten of the indictment. He faces up to 15 years on counts three, four, and six, and up to 10 years imprisonment on counts five, seven, eight, and nine. Fines up to $250,000 on each count may be ordered. Alamo will continue to be held without bond. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims of abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Assistant United States Attorneys, Kyra Jenner, Candace Taylor and Clay Fowlkes prosecuted the case for the United States.

Federal Bureau of Investigation - The Little Rock Division: Department of Justice Press Release