Ex-foster dad faces felony sex counts

Ex-foster dad faces felony sex counts
BY SOPHIA VORAVONG • SVORAVONG@JCONLINE.COM • JULY 2, 2010

A foster parent and former youth minister from West Lafayette is accused of forcing sexual contact on a teenager who was in his care.



William "Lee" Porter, 53, was charged Thursday in Tippecanoe Superior Court 1 with criminal deviate conduct, a Class B felony, and five counts of child seduction, a Class D felony.

Porter had been arrested last November, shortly after the investigation began, said Detective Sgt. Cindy Marion of the West Lafayette Police Department. He was released from the Tippecanoe County Jail after posting a $505 cash bond.

He was arrested again Thursday night on a warrant issued with the criminal charges. His new bond was set at $25,000 surety.

Porter was the alleged victim's foster father and youth minister, Marion said. At the time the teenager lived with Porter and his wife, Porter was youth minister at Elmwood Church of Christ in Lafayette.

He has since resigned from that position, Marion said.

On Thursday afternoon, Porter's name was still included on a telephone staff directory for the church. A message was left for pulpit minister Gilbert Kerrigan seeking comment.

The charges stem from allegations that the teenager told investigators occurred sometime after April 2007, the month she was placed at Porter's West Lafayette home.

The girl moved back with her father in November 2008.

She was between 16 and 17 years old at the time.

According to a probable cause affidavit filed with the charges, the girl alleges that the sexual contact began with fondling that occurred 15 to 20 times. She allowed the alleged touching to continue because Porter reportedly threatened to otherwise cheat on his wife.

The investigation began that month when the 17-year-old stopped a West Lafayette police officer who was working as a school resource officer at West Lafayette Jr.-Sr. High School.

While Sgt. David Lord was taking the teenager's report, she allegedly received a text message on her cell phone from Porter -- asking that she not cut off their relationship.

The criminal deviate conduct charge is based on sexual contact the girl said she was forced into by Porter in November 2009, when Porter's wife was out of town. The girl told investigators that she visited Porter to do laundry and watch cable television -- things she did not have access to at her father's home.

According to Journal & Courier archives, Porter joined Elmwood Church in 1998. Before that, he spent 18 years as a youth minister at four churches in Texas.

Marion said she was not aware of any other alleged victims.

In Indiana, 16 is the age of sexual consent. However, a person can be charged with child seduction if the victim is between the ages of 16 and 18 and the suspect is a guardian.

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