Church pastor suspected of aggravated child rape, sexual battery

Church pastor suspected of aggravated child rape, sexual battery

New Orleans police arrested an Algiers man, who is also a pastor at Second Highway Baptist Church in Marrero, for aggravated rape of a child under 13.

Reverend Dr. Sherman Smith, 56, was booked into Orleans Parish Prison on Wednesday at 11:09 a.m. He faces charges of aggravated rape, sexual battery, molestation of a juvenile or person with a mental or physical disability, and two counts of incident behavior with a juvenile.

Smith was taken into custody in Algiers.

The crimes occurred over a decade ago and were recently reported to the Special Victims Unit of the New Orleans Police Department, officers said. Investigators said the three victims were juveniles when the alleged crimes occurred.

Smith appeared in magistrate court where his bond was set at $180,000, according to court documents. The court appointed a public defender as his attorney.

His church is located in the 1500 block of Haydel Drive. FOX 8 has reached out other church leaders for comment.

Smith was still in police custody at the time this story was published. His next hearing is scheduled for December.

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