5 more Jehovah’s Witnesses arrested for sexual assault, exploitation of children

By Leonardo Blair, Senior Reporter Monday, July 10, 2023

These five men have been charged with sexual assault and exploitation of children in Pennsylvania. They are (Top L-R): Errol William Hall, 50, of Delaware County; Luis Manuel Ayala-Velasquez, 55, of Reading; Shaun Sheffer, 45, of Butler County; (Bottom L-R) Terry Booth, 57, of Panama City, Fla., and David Balosa, 61, of Philadelphia. | Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office

Following the filing of sexual abuse charges against nine members of Jehovah’s Witnesses congregations in October 2022 and February 2023, Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry announced Friday that she filed charges against five more men in the religious organization for sexual assault and exploitation of children.

“The details of these crimes are sad and disturbing, facts which are made even more abhorrent because the defendants used their faith communities or their own families to gain access to victims,” Henry said in a statement. “Our office will never stop working to seek justice for those who have been victimized, and we will continue to investigate and prosecute anyone who harms the most vulnerable in our society.”

David Balosa of Philadelphia County; Errol William Hall of Delaware County; Shaun Sheffer of Butler County; Terry Booth of Panama City, Florida; and Luis Ayala-Velasquez of Berks County, Pennsylvania, were all arrested and charged for separate alleged offenses.

Balosa allegedly sexually assaulted a young girl in his congregation when she was just 4, after becoming close with her family. He was charged with aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault, and corruption of minors.

Hall, who was an elder in his congregation, allegedly touched a 16-year-old girl in his faith group. It is alleged that because of his position, many of the parents trusted him with their children. He has been charged with indecent assault and corruption of minors.

Sheffer has been charged with rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault, and corruption of minors, for allegedly sexually assaulting a young family member starting when she was 7.

“Due to their close relationship, Sheffer was often left alone with her for long periods of time during which he repeatedly raped and assaulted the young girl,” Henry’s office said in their statement.

Booth is charged with indecent assault and corruption of minors for allegedly engaging in inappropriate sexual conversations and inappropriate touching with a 16-year-old boy whom he knew through his Jehovah’s Witness congregation when he lived in Allegheny County.

Ayala-Velasquez was charged with rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault, endangering the welfare of children, and corruption of minors. He is alleged to have abused a family member for several years, starting when she was 12.

He would allegedly sneak into her bedroom as she slept and when she became an adult, he raped her in his home.

According to Henry, the latest arrests are connected to a 2019 Pennsylvania grand jury investigation into child sex abuse in Jehovah’s Witness congregations. She explained that all the alleged perpetrators were men in positions of trust in their respective congregations, according to Lehigh Valley Live. One defendant reportedly took his life before he could be arrested.

Asked about the arrests on Monday, the Jehovah’s Witness office in New York told The Christian Post in a statement that while “we are not permitted by law to comment on specific matters arising out of the grand jury investigation … the news of someone being sexually abused, whether a child or an adult, sickens us.”

“Child sexual abuse in particular is a twisted act of evil. That is why for decades Jehovah’s Witnesses have gone to great lengths to educate and warn parents through our publications, meetings, and website, about how to protect their children in a variety of circumstances,” said denomination officials. “We also are quick to support and offer pastoral care to those affected, while working to ensure that unrepentant perpetrators are removed from the congregation. Anyone who has been victimized has the full support of the congregation to report the matter to the authorities.”

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