WALTER KEITH STEVERSON, M. WAYNE BLACKBURN, and ASSEMBLIES OF GOD, PENINSULAR FLORIDA DISTRICT are all being sued.
Guilty10/16/1991 LEWD, LASCIVIOUS CHILD U/16; F.S. 800.04 (PRINCIPAL) 9101102 Polk Currently lives in KINGSPORT, TN
Quotes for lawsuit:
While driving, DEFENDANT STEVERSON reached over and touched PLAINTIFF on the inner thigh. DEFENDANT STEVERSON tried to make it seem like an accident, but then he did it again, this time putting his hand up PLAINTIFF’S shorts, almost touching his genitalia.
Although PLAINTIFF did not want to attend because he knew that DEFENDANT STEVERSON would be there as his Royal Rangers leader, he was afraid to tell his mother what had happened because DEFENDANT BLACKBURN had told PLAINTIFF that his mother would not believe him. On the camping trip, DEFENDANT STEVERSON got into PLAINTIFF’S sleeping bag with PLAINTIFF. DEFENDANT STEVERSON then repeatedly caressed PLAINTIFF’S thigh.
DEFENDANT BLACKBURN abused PLAINTIFF, when he instructed PLAINTIFF to keep DEFENDANT STEVERSON’S abuse a secret, told PLAINTIFF that his mother would not believe him if he told her about DEFENDANT STEVERSON’S abuse, and continued to allow DEFENDANT STEVERSON to be alone with PLAINTIFF.
Quote for lawsuit:
DEFENDANT BLACKBURN took PLAINTIFF to report the abuse to Pastor Strader. When PLAINTIFF reported the abuse to Pastor Strader, Pastor Strader told PLAINTIFF that DEFENDANT STEVERSON was a good man who was spreading the gospel, and he told PLAINTIFF that the abuse was likely an “accident.” Pastor Strader promised PLAINTIFF that it would not happen again. DEFENDANT BLACKBURN was present and overhead PLAINTIFF report the abuse to Pastor Strader.
So far no comment from anyone out of Victory Church
Read the filed Pdf below:
The current pastors at victory are Blackburn’s and the only ones who helped outatall . The only one who helped this child in any way it seems ,I know they want to go after the church but the person who ran the church no longer runs the church ! At this point the only person who helped him runs the church , if he goes after the church he’s hurting the one person who helped him. The Blackburn’s . I love victory church !! I’dont know the whole story but I’ve never gotten bad vibes or herd a bad story . Love my church family!
I was Keith’s roommate at Southeastern. Did not see anything that would indicate this type of behavior. I was attending Victory when this situation occurred at both churches. I was under the impression that Keith was discharged from Strader’s church (because of the circumstances) and got a position at Victory. I believed that Blackburn had no knowledge. Then Keith was accused of doing the same thing at Victory. The law was called. Blackburn did the usual downplaying the situation but Keith was gone. I saw him weeks later at the mall. I didn’t inquire about the situation. But that was the gossip that was going around