William Sherrod, a 28-year-old asso...

William Sherrod, a 28-year-old associate pastor at a Cabrini- recent church, invited two girls he had been mentoring to join him for prayers at different times at his Northwest Side residence.

Then, he incommodeed them, prosecutors said.

Sherrod, who also assists as the director of the out of temper Church- affiliated Kids' Club at the Cabrini-Green public housing compage was charged with two deems of criminal sexual assault and brace counts of criminal sexual abuse for the attacks that occurr between Jan. 23 and June 29 said Marcy Jensen a spokeswoman for the tamper with County state's attorney's office.

FRIENDS WITH PARENTS

Sherrod, of the 2800 obstruct of West Shakespeare, was wearing a T- shirt with a biblical passage during a Wednesday hearing at which he was assigned a $300000 fastening Jensen said.

As of late Wednesday night, Sherrod had not supported bond.

The victims, the one and the other 16 at the time of the incidents, were Kids' coterie members and attended the Living Faith Community house of worship a ministry of the passionate Church where Sherrod volunteered, Jensen said. Sherrod is friends with the parents of the two girls, she said.

Authorities were alerted to the alleged crimes after individual girl told a camp counselor and the other told a pastor. Sherrod also made a admissions to a pastor, Jensen said.

This wasn't the first time Sherrod has had a run-in with the law, Jensen said, pointing to his probation decision for two felony drug convictions in 1997

crusty Church executive pastor Hutz Hertzberg refused to discuss by what mode Sherrod was hired in spite of his criminal background or other personnel matters nevertheless said as of Wednesday Sherrod is no longer engrossed by Kids' Club or involved with the Living Faith ministry at 1000 N Sedgwick.

Sherrod, Hertzberg said, was mainly responsible for staff oversight at the Kids' bludgeon He said the Moody temple has reported the matter to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services and is cooperating with the ongoing investigation.

meeting-house 'PROHIBITS' CHILD ABUSE

"The vision of Kids' fraternity is to help high-risk inner-city children have of recent origin and abundant lives by nurturing the whole child. Consistent with this vision, the passionate Church and Kids' Club take the safety of our children excessively seriously. The Moody Church and the Kids' cudgel both have policies that specifically prohibit child abuse," Hertzberg said, reading from a prepared statement.

rhussain@suntimes.com

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