Teens Taken From N.M. Doomsday Church, Report of Underage Sex Abuse Prompts Criminal Investigation

Teens Taken From N.M. Doomsday Church

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=4765519&page=1

Report of Underage Sex Abuse Prompts Criminal Investigation Into Extremist Sect

By DAVID SCHOETZ
May 1, 2008


This undated photo, supplied by the The Lord Our Righteousness Church,
shows group leader Wayne Bent, 66, who is also identified on the church's
Web site as Michael Travesser. New Mexico state police have removed three
children from the church compound following an April 22, 2008, investigation.
(The Lord Our Righteousness Church/AP Photo)

Three teenagers have been removed from a remote New Mexico compound run by a self-described messiah in a new case involving a religious sect and allegations of sex abuse. The three teens, a 16 year old boy, a 16 year old girl and a 13 year old girl, were taken into custody over a three-day period starting April 22. They had been living at a compound called Strong City, home to the Lord of Our Righteousness Church.

"The state police are investigating what has happened there," Peter Olsen, public safety spokesman in New Mexico, confirmed to ABC News. "State police were there to make sure the kids were safely removed and that there was no trouble."

Romaine Serna, a spokeswoman for the state's Children, Youth and Families Department, said that the state is looking into the best options for the children. "We have three children in custody," she said. "The information we have is there are other young adults residing at the compound."

Children seized from doomsday cult; Abuse cases reported in New Mexico

http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1009074

State police have removed three children from an apocalyptic church whose leader claims to be the Messiah and acknowledges having sex with some of his followers. The church has at least 70 members, Serna said.

Wayne Bent, 66, who is known in the church as Michael Travesser, established the church at a rural site called Strong City, north of Clayton in extreme northeastern New Mexico. He said God anointed him Messiah in July 2000.

"There was never any child molestation, or adult molestation by anyone, including myself," Bent wrote in a posting yesterday on the church's website. "There has never been 'sex with minors' or anything remotely approaching that."

Bent, on an April 27 posting on the website, accused the state of kidnapping the children. "My children are kidnapped because some demon wrote a letter to people in authority accusing me of some crimes," he wrote.

"When the state came against our children (seed), the state came against God, and this will NOT ever be forgiven them," he wrote. In a lengthy discussion dated Sept. 11, 2007, Bent said his work is finished and he does not expect to be "in the earthly sphere" much longer.

He acknowledged having sex with three women: the wives of two of his followers and his daughter-in-law.
He said it was at the direction of God and the instigation of the women.