Prediction?
Guilty.
Closing arguments today in Anderson trial
- Testimony wrapped up Wednesday in the ongoing trial of Matthew Anderson, a former youth pastor accused of sexually abusing a local 16-year-old boy.
Anderson is facing five counts of sexual assault and two counts of indecency with a child, after his accuser alleged that the 31-year-old used his position as spiritual mentor to persuade the teen to perform numerous sexual acts in late 2005 and early 2006.
Witnesses testified on Tuesday that the two met at Tree of Life Church in June 2005, eventually building a close relationship based upon Anderson’s Bible teachings. The pair spent significant time together over the ensuing several months, according to the alleged victim’s testimony, ultimately culminating in various sexual encounters based on Anderson’s numerous “visions from God.”
His accuser came forth on a mission trip two years later, and Anderson was arrested in October 2007.
Wednesday, the second and final day of witness testimony, was highlighted by an account of what the prosecution described as a similar encounter with another underage church-goer in 2001 — one that ultimately led to Anderson pleading guilty to sexual assault charges in Alabama.
The father of another, then 15-year-old boy, took the stand and gave his account of how Anderson earned the trust of his family before sexually assaulting their son. Anderson, according to testimony, was employed as a youth pastor at a church outside of Huntsville, Ala., when he became close friends with their family and eventually moved into their home in October 2001.
He then recounted similar testimony to what other witnesses described Tuesday involving the teen in New Braunfels, with Anderson befriending their son, alienating him from his other friends and the two spending the majority of their time together. After one particular episode at their home he felt was strange, the Alabama victim’s father testified that he confronted Anderson and asked him if he inappropriately touched his son, to which Anderson replied “yes.”
Anderson subsequently left his position at the church and was brought up on criminal charges in May 2003, pleading guilty to second degree sexual assault, a Class A misdemeanor in Alabama. He was put on probation and moved to Texas, registering with the state as a sex offender in August 2003.
Other than out-of-state testimony for the prosecution, the defense called its only two witnesses Wednesday, beginning with a previous co-worker of Anderson’s. He said Anderson had never committed anything like sexual misconduct while he was working with him, and described their workplace — where one of the alleged sexual encounters was to have occurred — as somewhere where few people were ever working and that employees were generally accounted for at most times.
The other witness for the defense was a former cellmate in Comal County Jail with Anderson who also was facing his own charges of sexual assault involving a minor, but did go to high school with the alleged victim. After first having to be rounded up to testify by the Comal County Sheriff’s Office, he said that Anderson’s accuser had a previous homosexual relationship while in high school.
Comal County Assistant District Attorney Steve de Lemos responded by saying it was something he and Anderson had “cooked up” in jail. The alleged victim also then testified that he did not remember the witness and had no previous romantic relationships.
The trial is scheduled to resume at 8:30 a.m. today in front of Comal County 433rd Judicial District Court Judge Dib Waldrip, beginning with closing arguments from both sides.
If found guilty by the 13-member jury, Anderson could serve five to 99 years in prison for each count of sexual assault and an additional two to 20 years for each indecency with a child charge, according to the county district attorney’s office.
