Jeremy Fulton, 27, the youth minister at Mariner’s Temple Baptist Church at 3 Henry St., was indicted on Fri., Dec. 4 for raping and sexually abusing a girl who went to the church with her family between July 2007 when she was 12, and October of this year.
Fulton, a resident of Stanton St., was also associate director of the Mariner’s Educational Center when the offenses began, according to the indictment filed by the Manhattan District Attorney.
The girl had turned 12 when the defendant first touched her sexually and exposed himself, the charges say. The offenses increased to intercourse when she was still 12, according to the charges. The situation came to light when the girl’s mother learned that another girl who attended the Mariner’s Educational Center complained about Fulton’s behavior toward the two girls, according to prosecutors.
N.Y.P.D. child abuse squad officers and Baltimore police arrested Fulton outside Baltimore on Nov. 24. He was extradited and pleaded not guilty at his Manhattan State Supreme Court Arraignment. Fulton is in jail pending a Dec. 15 court appearance on charges of rape, predatory sexual assault of a child, a course of criminal sexual conduct against a child and endangering the welfare of a child.
District Attorney Robert Morgenthau said last week that the case was still under investigation and urged anyone with information to phone his office Child Abuse Hotline, 212-335-4308.
Fulton’s attorney could not be reached for comment. A woman who answered the temple’s phone said “the matter is being handled and the church is fully cooperative.”
— Albert Amateau with Josh Rogers
