Harriger, 70, was picked up at his home on Johnson Creek Road in the hamlet of Johnson Creek, adjacent to his church, which is located within the Town of Hartland in eastern Niagara County.
He is the pastor of Community Fellowship Church in Johnson Creek, but the sex crimes allegedly occurred from September 2000 through September 2001, when he was the pastor of Ashwood Wesleyan Church in the village of Lyndonville, in northwestern Orleans County.
Lt. Kurt Schmitt said Harriger lived in Michigan and Pennsylvania before coming to this area, and authorities in those states are investigating Harriger’s activities.
Harriger was arrested at his home Wednesday morning and charged with two counts of incest, two counts of first-degree course of sexual conduct against a child and four counts of first-degree sodomy.
Schmitt said each count refers to a separate incident. The sentencing range for each sexual conduct and sodomy count is 10 to 25 years, while the incest charges carry a maximum seven-year prison term.
Schmitt said Harriger, who had no prior criminal record, was arraigned without an attorney in Yates Town Court Wednesday and sent to the Orleans County Jail in lieu of $250,000 bail. He is due for a preliminary appearance at 2 p.m. Tuesday in Yates, which is the township in which Lyndonville is located.
Schmitt said Harriger is married with three sons and two daughters. He said the alleged victims, one male and one female, were between 7 and 9 years old at the time of the incidents with which he is charged. They are now adults.
Schmitt said the number of alleged victims of sexual abuse by Harriger in the three states is “approaching 10.” A State Police source said the oldest incidents allegedly occurred in 1974.
Although Schmitt said many of the oldest potential charges had to be set aside because of the statute of limitations, New York law does not start the clock on course of sexual conduct charges until the alleged victim turns 18.
Schmitt said the complaining witnesses reported the alleged molestation about two months ago. He said Harriger had not been interviewed by police prior to his arrest by Investigator Michael Noto of the Criminal Bureau of Investigation in Albion, who had a search warrant.
Harriger left Ashwood Wesleyan Church in 2009 after a dispute with a church district official and an estimated 60 members of the congregation followed him to his new church in Middleport, according to Jeff Johnson, a church member who attended Harriger’s arraignment.
“We feel he is totally innocent. It is a trumped-up charge from a dysfunctional family,” Johnson said late Wednesday afternoon. “I was at his arraignment with a member from the music ministry and I believe all the congregation will be behind the reverend.”
Rev. Karen Tucker, the current pastor at Ashwood Wesleyan, confirmed that Harriger moved on several years ago.
“I met the man for the first time about two years ago at a prayer service,” Tucker said. “He has not been affiliated with this church for several years.”
Johnson said his pastor has been placed in “a tough situation.” He added, “Unfortunately, allegations like this hurt everyone.”
Schmitt said it’s probable that other alleged victims of Harriger still may not have come forward. “Often in these cases,” he said, “other victims will hear this story and see that we’ve arrested a subject and at that point are willing to come forward.”
That’s what happened in this case, Schmitt said. One alleged victim came forward and others got wind of it “and they realize they’re not alone and they’re more willing to tell their story.”
He said anyone with information about Harriger, including other potential victims, should call the State Police station in Albion at (585) 589-4244.
“We have several who have given us statements regarding Mr. Harriger. Unfortunately, we only have two in New York State that we’re able to prosecute, based on the laws,” Schmitt said. “I believe he lived in Michigan a long time ago, way back, and then he lived in Pennsylvania briefly. I honestly don’t know when he came here.”
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