Church Leader Faces Sexual Assualt Charges

MIDWEST CITY, Okla. (AP) -- An arrest warrant has been issued for a church deacon accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old church member.<br/><br/>Orlando Javier Wynn, a deacon at Divine Wisdom Worship

Saturday, July 21st 2007, 2:12 pm

By: News On 6

MIDWEST CITY, Okla. (AP) -- An arrest warrant has been issued for a church deacon accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old church member.

Orlando Javier Wynn, a deacon at Divine Wisdom Worship Center, faces five counts of second-degree rape, six counts of forcible oral sodomy and one count of lewd acts with a child.

Wynn, 39, remained at large late Friday. His bail is set at $580,000, according to Oklahoma County District Court records.

The pastor at Divine Wisdom Worship Center, the Rev. Theodis Manning, spearheads a ministry to former gang members. In June, Manning teamed with Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater to host a "Stop the Violence Community Rally."

Manning said Wynn is not a former gang member, but does have a criminal record. Court records show Wynn has a 1989 conviction for drug distribution and a 1992 conviction for possession of a firearm after a felony conviction.

Manning said Wynn trained for two years to be a church deacon and was considered one of the most trusted officials at the church.

The 15-year-old victim told investigators Wynn approached her in October after a youth meeting at the church and asked her to e-mail him nude photographs of herself, according to court documents filed by prosecutors.

Wynn took the girl to a park during several school lunch hours and assaulted her, prosecutors allege.

Midwest City police Capt. Sid Porter said the girl told her parents about her meetings with Wynn and the parents notified police. Church officials have cooperated with the investigation, Porter said.

Manning said Wynn will not be allowed on church property until the case is resolved, although Manning would be willing minister to Wynn off church grounds.

"We have taken action and have decided to let the law handle this matter," Manning said. "There are a lot of people here that are hurt and angry. I pray that people don't hold the church responsible."