Senior Member Of Controversial Delaware County Church Arrested On Child Molestation Charges
By Jericka Duncan
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Richard Bellingham, once a trusted member of the Church of Our Saviour in Concord Township, is charged with molesting four girls from his church between 1981 and 1987. On Thursday, police arrested the 57-year-old from his Newark, Delaware home.
CBS 3 obtained a criminal complaint detailing several alleged spanking scenarios and sex assaults of girls between 4-15 years old. A woman, now 39, went to authorities in January. Since then, investigators have been building their case against Bellingham.
According to court records, when Pennsylvania State Police asked Bellingham if he had inappropriately touched two of the alleged victims, Bellingham replied, "I'm not saying I didn't because I may have."
When questioned further, he admitted he touched them frequently, and later said he apologized for any pain that he caused the victims.
The Delaware County District Attorney's Office says that if convicted on all charges, Bellingham faces up to 28 years in prison.
The church Bellingham attended for nearly three decades is now closed.
Investigators are wondering if there are more victims out there who have yet to come forward. Police are encouraging any new victims to call state police at 484-840-1000.
Bellingham, who also went by the last names Lyons and Goldstein, is currently in Delaware County Prison.
