CALGARY – Police have charged a Carstairs man with allegedly sexually assaulting two girls during his time as a pastor at a northwest Calgary Baptist church.
The charges date back to 1970, when Thomas Larry Jones was working as a religious leader and teacher.
Jones allegedly began abusing one victim in 1979 when she was five-years-old, and continued until she was 15.
It’s alleged he also abused another victim starting in 1986 when she was nine-years-old, and continued until she was 18.
The assaults allegedly occurred in the church, and at Jones’ then neighbouring home.
In both cases, the victims were parishioners at the Baptist church.
Police arrested Jones on Wednesday. He is charged with:
- Indecent assault of a female
- Three counts of gross indecency
- Four counts of sexual assault
- Two counts of sexual interference
- Two counts of sexual exploitation
The allegations came to the attention of police after a similar case in 2012, where another leader at the same church was charged with sexually assaulting three male victims in the 1980s and 1990s.
“The important thing to realize is that this isn’t about an institution,” says Det. Klinger. “Places of worship… places of business… don’t commit these offences, it’s people commit these offences against other people.”
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