Television station KOAA-5 (Colorado Springs, Colorado) followed up on the widely reported story that was published here and several other JW discussion websites. Unlike the Watchtower’s own JW.org website and other television channels, KOAA actually sent out reporter Carlos Vergara to investigate further.
It appears that a TV channel cares more about public welfare than local Jehovah’s Witness elders do.
Vergara, an investigative team reporter for KOAA, managed to not only meet 66-year old Waymon Ivery, the JW with the documented history as a child molester, but also get a sit-down interview in a studio conference room. Although Ivery’s voice was apparently altered slightly (for what reason?) and his back was to the camera, Vergara dug in and managed to reveal a lot of information. Not only did he get Ivery to admit to his crimes and his history of incarceration, but Vergara also uncovered some fact about how Jehovah’s Witness elders manage former criminals in their congregation.
Ivery claims that part of their management of him is by having him “go out in the door-to-door service” is sending two members to the door. He claims that is Watchtower policy. [Note: Historically Jehovah’s Witnesses have gone door-to-door both individually and in pairs. Fulltime “pioneers” – especially male JWs – often “witness” individually. Even JW children (especially males) have historically gone door-to-door by themselves or with other children or unrelated adults.]
Vergara also followed up by trying to get comments from both Watchtower headquarters and from elders at the local Kingdom Hall. No one from the Jehovah’s Witnesses ever returned his call or provided comments in any format. But Vergara did not give up and hit the streets – finding some JWs going door-to-door in northeast Colorado Springs. They refused to talk to him and suggested he call Watchtower headquarters – something that he had already tried and found no assistance forthcoming.
Vergara was able to get Ivery to admit to his crime and time in prison. Ivery admitted that he agreed to the interview because he “felt like dirt,” and sharing his story might discourage others from “acting on their urges” and committing crimes against children. He blamed his “urges” post-traumatic stress disorder he suffered after his tours of duty in Viet Nam and Desert Storm as a member of the US Army’s special forces.
LINK to KOAA-TV interview report and video.
Thanks to an observant citizen with a camera, Ivery’s story is now public knowledge. Some of the citizens of Colorado Springs are now informed that JW pedophiles will be coming to their doorsteps in the future and how they can take steps to protect themselves and their children. But what about those citizens who missed that TV news program? What about those who don’t watch KOAA-TV?
Our thanks to both Carlos Vergara and Roman Vargas (the sharp-eyed cameraman who noticed Ivery going door-to-door and made his video public on YouTube) for taking steps to protect and inform the public about this problem.
On the other hand – we wonder when the Watchtower will come clean and admit they have a problem. When will they do the right thing and admit that they have not only sheltered pedophiles and sexual predators, but continue to refuse to restrict their contact with the public and innocent children of local Jehovah’s Witness families?
An even greater issue is that many of these JW pedophiles are not identified for the safety of other members of the congregations they attend. The leaders and spokesmen for the Watchtower, both locally and at headquarters’ level, are cowards – refusing to admit that they have a serious and growing problem thanks to their denials and lies about their “pedophile paradise.”
Published August 19, 2016 / John Hoyle
Funny how the elders will disfellowship a woman for having sex before marriage and of course during a marriage, but not disfellowship men who are their friends/family who do it. They might be put on private reproof and everyone just kind of wonders but still talks to him. Not so if it is a woman getting spanked by the elders. There is this demonizing of women (and children) and telling all their loved ones to drop them like a hot potato, yet on the other hand the elders and the people who are in fear of them and want to be on their good side will go to court…to bat for a man who has committed incest, pedophilia, rape, sodomy, heck even get high on drugs and even sell them, et cetera. They are kindred spirits with these psychopaths. Like I have said before, “Churches are men’s clubs where women and children have no public forum to be heard.”
Why would KOAA management take down the link to this very important community information that would keep parents informed and thus our children safer?
Aron, KOAA’s article and video are over 3.5 years old. Most news agencies don’t retain live materials or offer them more than two to three months after original publication. In this case we were able to capture and retain some or all of the original broadcast and share and comment on the report. Time marches on and old news is “old news.”