Sex charges dropped against church worker in Ontario, Canada

News Summary/January 31, 2006
By Rick Ross

All criminal charges were dropped against a church worker in Sarnia, Ontario.

Sarnia police arrested Stephen Ray Swarath, on June 4, 2004 and charged him with five counts of sexual assault after a young female member of the Sarnia Church of God complained to police.

Swarath was later released on bail.

Charges against Swarath stemmed from claims made by the alleged victim regarding incidents that supposedly took place between May 1 and June 4 of 2004, which involved a minor according to police.

Swarath reportedly served as an assistant youth pastor of the Sarnia Church of God located at 102 College Ave. S, during 2004.

Swarath's father, Rev. Bali Swarath, was reportedly the head pastor of the church at that time.

The Sarnia Church of God is a denominational Pentecostal church, Andrew Binda, a Church of God spokesperson told the London Free Press.

Binda would not comment specifically about the charges against Stephen Swarath.

"We do not advocate or condone that type of behavior," he said.

Binda also told the press that Stephen Swarath was not a youth pastor at the church, but instead only a volunteer.

A police investigation reportedly took place.

All criminal charges were dropped against Stephen Ray Swarath on February 28, 2005 according to court records.

Note: This news summary is largely based upon a previous published article titled "Church worker faces charges" by April Kemick, published by the London Free Press June 9, 2004