2nd Child Sex Charge Filed Against Sarasota Minister

SARASOTA, FL — A second child sex charge has been filed against a prominent Sarasota minister in a case that has spanned at least three decades.

A Facebook video led to the arrest of Henry Lee Porter Sr. as he celebrated his 72nd birthday on Jan. 2. Porter founded the Henry L. Porter Evangelistic Association and incorporated the Westcoast Center for Human Development, which his son became pastor of in 2016. See also Sarasota Police Say More Possible Victims In Sexual Abuse Case and Sarasota Minister Faces Child Sex Charge Following Facebook Video

"The second charge stems from abuse a victim says took place between April and November 1990 when the victim was attending school at Westcoast Center for Human Development," Genevieve Judge of the Sarasota Police Department said Monday.

Sarasota Police Chief Bernadette DiPino earlier said investigators believe there may be additional victims of sexual abuse. Police on Monday said investigators continue to believe there are still more victims that have yet to come forward.

Porter, who has been in jail since his initial arrest, is now charged with two counts of sexual battery with a child under 12. The first case for which Porter is charged, involves a boy who was 11 when the alleged abuse began more than 30 years ago.

The minister allegedly began grooming the second victim for which he is charged at age 9 while the child attended school at Westcoast Center for Human Development. Court documents said Porter would pretend to wrestle the boy while fondling him through his clothing. By age 11, the encounters turned into masturbation and oral sex.

DiPino said detectives interviewed 10 other men who testified that they also were molested by Porter in an "almost identical manner" as the first victim in the case. Since Porter's arrest, another four possible victims also came forward, according to police. The second victim for which Porter is charged came forward on Jan. 9.

"We anticipate that after the media covers this story, and the information gets out, that there is a potential for more victims to come forward." DiPino said last week.

Sarasota police have said the statute of limitations has precluded some additional charges from being filed.

Porter's bio says a downtown Sarasota street was once dedicated in his honor. It also said he has been inducted into the Sarasota Hall of Fame and State of Florida Gospel Hall of Fame.

Investigators believe the elder Porter is still active in the church and conducted a church service as recently as two months ago.

Titled: "The Art of Manipulation; My Survival of Molestation," the Facebook video that fueled the investigation was created by a man who described himself as Porter's godson. He said he was 15 at the time of the alleged sexual abuse starting in the 1980s. Porter was a bishop in his church at the time.

"I was molested as a teenager by my mentor, goddad and bishop," the victim said in the video, which was posted under the victim's own name. Patch is withholding the victim's name because of the nature of the allegations.

"Not only was I molested, it was under the guise of love and teaching me. I also felt that there was this silent coercion of sameness," according to the video. "In public, I was always told you should be all that God created without limits. But, in private, I’m to assimilate my ideas and conform to what the good bishop wants, whenever he wants it, because growing up at that time we were always told he’s the almighty hand of God in your life."

Court documents said the alleged sexual abuse occurred while the children attended Westcoast Center for Human Development, as well as on mission trips throughout America and abroad on church-sponsored trips.

To report a tip, call investigator Jeff Birdwell at 941-263-6028. For victim assistance, call Jude Castro at 941-263-6021.