Pastor accused of grooming underage girls with sex toys

A pastor in North Las Vegas, Nevada, is facing several counts of sexual assault and child abuse after multiple women accused him of sexually abusing them with sex toys while they were yet underage.

In the last eight months, at least three adult women have come forward and claimed that while they were still minors, Bobby Smith, the 45-year-old pastor of New Beginnings Ministries, had sexually abused them. Two of the women claimed that Smith had given them sex toys. He then instructed them to go to the bathroom and use the toys on themselves.

One of the victims told police that Smith had used four different sex toys with her a total of "over 30 times." Another victim — who briefly lived with Smith and referred to herself as one of Smith's "God daughters" — also claimed that Smith abused her with a sex toy "periodically for months." After she turned 18, the woman claimed that Smith convinced her to have sex with an older man whom she did not know.

A third woman claimed that she joined Smith's church when she was just 17. Despite her age, the woman was married, but the marriage was on the rocks. She claimed she went to Smith for counseling, and he convinced her to leave her husband. She then became one of Smith's "God daughters" as well and began spending the night at Smith's home on occasion.

One night, she claimed Smith lured her into his bedroom and forced her to perform a sex act on him. She alleged she became "terrified" that he might "rape or hurt her," so she ran out of the room and warned the other "God daughters" what had happened.

The victims claimed that they reported the abuse to several leaders of the church, including Smith's mother, but that no one did anything to help. A father of one of the victims claimed he confronted Smith about the accusations — and was soon afterward barred from ever returning to the church.

"As a father, I feel like I let her down," the unidentified man said through tears. "I took her to church. I took her to church. I went there first, as a man, and then I came home and told my family, 'This is where we going because we need God.'"

Smith's wife, Lashawn Smith, has also been accused of enabling the abuse. Mrs. Smith reportedly admitted to having a threesome with one of the victims. She also reportedly confirmed that at least one girl had been given a sex toy "to keep her from having sex with boys."

All of the assaults allegedly occurred between 2012 and 2014, when Smith was a pastor of a different church, the name of which has been redacted in court documents. He resigned from his position at that church sometime in 2014.

On Monday, Pastor Smith was indicted on one felony count of attempted sexual assault, nine counts of sexual assault, and one count of child abuse, neglect, or endangerment. Mrs. Smith has been charged with felony sexual assault and felony child abuse, neglect, or endangerment. It is unclear when the couple is next expected to appear in court.

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