Rev. C. Stephen White, known on Penn's campus and at colleges around the country as "Brother Stephen," is in police custody following his arrested on July 2 for allegedly approaching a fourteen year old male and offering to pay to perform oral sex on him.
White was arraigned on July 3 and remains in the West Chester County Prison. West Chester District Justice Mark Bruno set bail at $100,000, which White has yet to post.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 12, according to a court clerk in Bruno's office.
The clerk also noted that no other witnesses have come forward yet.
White often drew large crowds on College Green with his unashamedly anti-homosexual, anti-Muslim, hardline evangelical Christian rhetoric. A father of three, his wife and sons often accompanied him, preaching and picnicking as a family.
According to the 14 year-old's sworn affidavit on file with the West Chester Police Department, White was driving a green Ford van through the Philadelphia suburb and stopped to ask for directions to "any strip clubs in the area" and stores that sold adult books or explicit videos.
Told to follow Gay Street to a nearby shopping plaza, White allegedly tried to induce the juvenile to enter the vehicle.
The juvenile declined and walked away from the van.
At that point, the juvenile claims that White drove up to him a second time and asked him if he "wanted to make some money."
White then allegedly asked the juvenile "if he ever got a 'blow job' from a guy before." Explaining that "it was the same as if a female was doing it to you," White allegedly offered to pay to perform oral sex on the minor.
According to the affidavit, the boy noted the van's license plate number and repeated it to himself as he walked to his aunt's house a block away, where the boy contacted his mother who then called the police.
The van was found to be registered to Gospel Outreach Center, White's North Philadelphia ministry. White was also positively identified by the juvenile.
White's attorney Michael Considine declined to comment yesterday. Considine has also represented White's Victory Outreach Center in previous legal matters.
Though occasionally arrested while preaching, White has a clean criminal record according to West Chester authorities.
In the past, White's ministry focused heavily on children. From hosting pick-up basketball games in the converted North Philadelphia garage where he planned to establish a headquarters for his ministry to days spent dressed as "Caleb the Clown," the reverend was a well-known neighborhood fixture.
In an interview with the Daily Pennsylvanian last year, White emphasized the importance of reaching out to children. He said he planned to host vocational training classes as well as Bible study.
"The kids are so great... I've seen kids shouting Bible verses out loud in front of drug dealers," he said, later adding "Wouldn't it be great to have as many Bible pushers as drug pushers on every corner?"
White could not be reached for comment yesterday.
