Church deacon accused of abuse

The Baltimore Sun

A deacon at an Edgewood church has been charged on child sex abuse counts in the alleged molestation of two teenage half-sisters who are church members, the Harford County state's attorney said yesterday.

Kevin Rondell Glenn, a deacon at Fountain of Life Fellowship Church, was arrested Thursday and charged with 11 counts, including sexual abuse of a minor and sexual solicitation of a minor. Charging documents allege that the 50-year-old Edgewood resident sexually abused the half-sisters, who are ages 13 and 17, over a two-year period that ended in May this year.

Glenn surrendered to authorities this week and was released on $100,000 bail, Diane Tobin, an assistant county state's attorney, said yesterday. Charged with 11 counts, Glenn could receive a maximum of 132 years in jail and $57,000 in fines if convicted.

According to charging documents, the girls told authorities that they had been offered small chores by Glenn, including washing the church van. The older girl said Glenn drove to a carwash with her, exposed himself and offered her $300 for intercourse and other sex acts.

On other occasions, the girls said, Glenn visited their home to deliver food and Scripture passages for the family. According to court documents, he asked to use the upstairs bathroom and molested the older girl in her bed on as many as five to 10 visits.

The older girl said she told the suspect that he was doing wrong, and that Glenn responded by quoting Scripture and telling her he needed help, according to the statement of charges.

The situation came to light in recent weeks after the mother learned of the alleged abuse and alerted church leaders, court documents say. Church leaders organized a meeting that included Glenn and the girls this month, at which Glenn apologized to the girls and said he had "fallen into the way of sin."

Glenn apologized before the congregation for his "sexual sin" during a service at the church this month but did not mention the girls by name or details of the incidents, according to court documents.

Glenn is married and is an electrical worker for a company in Rosedale, according to court documents.

Attempts to reach Glenn yesterday were not successful, and several messages left at the church were not returned.

The preliminary hearing for Glenn will be held in Harford County District Court on Aug. 16.

The Harford County Child Advocacy Center, the Harford County Sheriff's Office and the Maryland State Police are investigating the incidents. The state attorney's office is asking anyone with information to contact the Child Advocacy Center at 410-638-3294.

In May 1994, Glenn was acquitted of attempted murder by a Harford Circuit Court jury after spending 11 months in the county detention center. The victim in the case said he was stabbed in the shoulder after he had come to the defense of neighborhood children who said Glenn had been bothering them.

Glenn countered that he acted in self-defense after being taunted with racial slurs and threatened by a group armed with large sticks.

madison.park@baltsun.com

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