PENNSYLVANIA FURNACE, Pa. — Five members of Jehovah's Witness congregations across Pennsylvania are facing sexual abuse of children charges, Acting Attorney General Michelle Henry announced on Tuesday.
Two of the accused are from Lancaster County, Henry said.
Through an investigation, officials say that the men sexually abused and exploited minors with whom they had close contact, and in some cases, members of their own family. Each of those charged and their victims were members of Jehovah's Witness congregations across the state, authorities said.
These arrests follow charges filed against four other members of Jehovah’s Witness congregations in October 2022.
The defendants are being prosecuted by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General for the following offenses:
- Marc Brown, 65, of Allegheny County, is alleged to have sexually abused two young sisters who were between the ages of 10 and 13, and for whom he was the legal guardian. Brown has been charged with Aggravated Indecent Assault, Indecent Assault, Endangering the Welfare of Children, and Corruption of Minors.
- Raymond Shultz, 74, of Beaver County, is alleged to have sexually abused his granddaughters when they were between the ages of five and ten years-old. Shultz has been charged with Aggravated Indecent Assault, Indecent Assault, Endangering the Welfare of Children, and Corruption of Minors.
- Abimael Valentin-Matos, 42, of Lancaster County, is alleged to have sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl, who he was supposedly “courting” to eventually marry even though he was twice her age. Matos has been charged with Indecent Assault, Indecent Exposure, Endangering the Welfare of Children, and Corruption of Minors.
- Kevin Isovitsch, 51, of Butler County, is alleged to have sexually assaulted his niece, who was nine-years-old. Isovitsch has been charged with Rape, Aggravated Indecent Assault, Indecent Assault, Endangering the Welfare of Children, and Corruption of Minors.
- Norman Aviles-Garriga, 44, of Lancaster County, is alleged to have molested at least three young children between the ages of five and ten. Aviles was an elder in his congregation, which helped him gain the trust of many parents and afforded him access to their children. Aviles has been charged with Aggravated Indecent Assault, Indecent Assault, Endangering the Welfare of Children, and Corruption of Minors.
Brown, Shultz, Matos, and Isovitsch have all been arrested, while Aviles is still at large.
“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,” said Acting Attorney General Michelle Henry, via press release. “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.”
Jehovah's Witnesses have an internal disciplinary system for complaints of child sexual abuse. It remains unclear whether they investigated these allegations, but the Attorney General's office said the charges stemmed from victims coming forward.
Victim advocacy group Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) said the organization itself needed to be held accountable.
"Officials within the faith that knew of this abuse did nothing. To me that’s complicit. And being complicit in crimes like these is sometimes as equal to the crime itself," said SNAP Communications Manager Mike McDonnell.
Henry declined to comment on future charges, citing the ongoing investigation.
Jehovah's Witnesses Lancaster East Congregation could not be reached for comment.
The Jehovah's Witnesses national organization wrote in a statement,
"As Christians, Jehovah’s Witnesses despise the mistreatment and abuse of anyone, especially precious children. While it is not appropriate to comment on cases pending before the courts, we want to express our concern for all victims of abuse regardless of faith."
Jehovah's Witnesses has previously released a document stating their "position on child protection."
Court documents show Aviles-Garriga remains at large, while Valentin-Matos is currently awaiting trial in Lancaster County Prison.
Anyone with information regarding child sexual abuse can make a report to ChildLine at 1-800-932-0313, and anyone with additional information regarding these cases can make a report to the Office of Attorney General’s hotline at 888-538-8541.
You can watch Acting Attorney General Michelle Henry announce the charges at a press conference in the video above.