Sarasota Police Say More Possible Victims In Sexual Abuse Case

SARASOTA, FL — Days after the arrest of a prominent minister on a child sex charge, Sarasota Police Chief Bernadette DiPino warned that investigators believe there may be additional victims of sexual abuse in a case that has spanned at least three decades.

"This investigation is active and ongoing, but we do believe that there are other victims that are in our community," DiPino acknowledged at a press conference Wednesday. "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." See also Sarasota Minister Faces Child Sex Charge Following Facebook Video

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.

Porter is charged with one count of capital sexual battery on a victim under the age of 12, though DiPino said that detectives interviewed 10 other men who testified that they also were molested by Porter in an "almost identical manner" as the victim in the case. Since Porter's arrest, another four possible victims have also come forward, police said.

"These crimes spanned nearly 30 years; however, due to a statute of limitations and the restrictions attached to that, we are only able to charge Mr. Porter with the current case at this time," DiPino explained.

Capt. Johnathan Todd, commander of the Sarasota Police Department Criminal Investigations Division, said the victims were as young as 11 and as old as 19 at the time of the alleged abuse.

"It’s been a long time coming, but finally some justice hopefully has been served here," Todd said.

Many of the alleged victims have gone on to marry and have children of their own, he said.

"To come forward and bare these wounds and have them reopened, it’s a big step for them, and this case couldn’t have been made without them," Todd said.

The case in which Porter is charged involves a boy who was 11 when the alleged abuse began more than 30 years ago.

"The victim alleges that Henry Porter began sexually abusing the boy in 1989 while the victim’s parents went out of state for an extended hospital visit," DiPino said. "This abuse went on for several years while the boy was a member of the church and a student at the elementary school that is run at the church."

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.

Todd said 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.

Watch the Sarasota Police Department press conference below: