A youth leader of a Delaware church is accountable for more than 80 counts of sex abuse after confessing in a meeting with a pastor on Feb 13 to "inappropriately touching" a minor.
John C. Sapp Jr., a 34-year-old from Hartly, Delaware confessed to have held sexual relationships with two teenage girls who attended his youth group at his church, Maranatha Fellowship of Dover.
One victim told Delaware State Police that she had a "secret relationship" with Sapp from October 2017 when she was 15-years-old to June 2019. Another victim reported that she had a "secret sexual relationship" with Sapp from January 2019 when she was 16-years-old to January of 2020.
Of the 89 counts of sex abuse, there were 33 counts of "unlawful sexual contact second degree", 29 counts of "sexual abuse of a child by a person of trust first degree", 13 counts of "rape fourth-degree sexual intercourse victim less than 18 years old", 7 counts of "rape fourth-degree sexual penetration of another person without consent", 3 counts of "sexual abuse of a child by a person of trust second-degree", 2 counts of "continuous sexual abuse of a child", and 2 counts of "loitering on property of a state-supported school, college, or university.
The sexual abuse allegedly took place in multiple places including Sapp Jr.'s house, truck, the parking lot of the Dover Campus of Delaware Technical Community College, the church property, and even on a youth group camping trip.
"We're awaiting a scheduling order from the courts with respect to case review and trial," said Department of Justice spokesman Mat Marshall.
