Second Girl Accuses Pastor of Sex Assault
Pastor Dale Morgan
Second Girl Accuses Pastor of Sex Assault*
Sex Assault Sentencing Postponed; New Charges Filed
By TINA A. BROWN
Courant Staff Writer
December 15, 2007
As Modesto Reyes was ushered into a Hartford courtroom Friday wearing a
green, prison-issued jumpsuit, looking older and grayer than his 53
years, some 40 family members and followers of the Pentecostal pastor
watched in anguish.
They were there for Reyes' sentencing in connection with the sexual
assault of an 11-year-old member of his congregation who subsequently
bore his son. But the shocking case took an even more startling twist
when Superior Court Judge David Gold announced that the sentencing would
be postponed because another girl has filed accusations against the pastor.
"It has come to my attention today that there is a new warrant charging
Mr. Reyes with new and additional offenses," Gold said.
Several weeks after Reyes in October pleaded guilty under the Alford
doctrine to sexually assaulting the 11-year-old, a second alleged victim
surfaced. The13-year-old female was also impregnated by Reyes but had a
miscarriage, police and sources said.
Immediately after his brief court appearance, Reyes was booked on three
counts of second-degree sexual assault, one count of fourth-degree
sexual assault and four counts of risk of injury to a minor, police
said. Gold fast-tracked the new case at the urging of defense lawyer
William Gerace. Reyes will skip an appearance before a lower court judge
on Monday. He will reappear in Gold's courtroom at 10 a.m. Monday for
arraignment, with the likelihood that both cases will be consolidated
for quick resolution.
"My client wants a rapid resolution of this case," Gerace told the court.
Later, in an interview with The Courant, Gerace repeated his client's
desire to resolve the matter quickly.
"I'm disappointed that this happened. The tragedy is now compounded. We
want this resolved quickly. The victims shouldn't suffer any longer than
necessary."
Few details were available about the second girl. The arrest warrant was
not immediately released, but police say the assaults occurred in the
spring and fall of 2005.
According to police, the second girl and her mother filed a complaint on
Nov. 13, about a month after Reyes entered an Alford plea to charges of
first-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor, the
11-year-old girl. Reyes did not admit guilt in that case and denied
vehemently that he assaulted the girl despite two DNA tests that showed
he was the father of her child. Before Friday's postponement, Reyes had
faced a minimum of five years and a maximum of 45 years in prison, but
prosecutor Sandra Tullius was pushing for a sentence of at least 20 years.
Prior to entering the Alford plea, Reyes had rejected two plea deals in
which the prosecutor was seeking 15 years or more. Gerace has said that
he expects Gold to give Reyes more than 15 years because he never
admitted guilt.
According to prosecutors, Reyes befriended the 11-year-old in 2004 and
2005. Tullius has said that Reyes gave the girl cookies before he took
her behind Bulkeley High School in a church van and sexually assaulted
her in August 2005. Subsequent assaults also occurred in the office of
Reyes' church, Iglesia De Dios Te Llama on Broad Street in Hartford,
during the fall of 2005. She gave birth in May 2006.
Reyes has been held on $750,000 bail since his arrest in June 2006.