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twitterMetro arrests self-proclaimed ‘prophet’ in child sex case
Friday, July 3, 2009 | 7:38 p.m.
Benito Catello
The Ministry church
A 75-year-old self-proclaimed prophet and church leader from Las Vegas was arrested Friday on multiple charges of sex crimes against children, Metro Police said.
Benito Catello is charged with 29 felonies, including sexual assault, sexual assault with a victim under 14 years of age and lewdness with a minor under 14 years of age.
Catello, who police described as a self-proclaimed “prophet” and leader of The Ministry, a church run out of his home near Owens Avenue and Mount Hood Street in northeast Las Vegas, is being held on bail of $295,000, according to Clark County Detention Center records.
A 48-hour hearing is scheduled for 7:30 a.m. Saturday.
Investigators are asking anyone with information about Benito -- including other possible victims -- to contact the Metro Crimes Against Youth and Family Bureau at 828-3421. Callers who wish to remain anonymous can contact Crime Stoppers at 385-5555.
Catello is described as white, 5-foot-5 and 155 pounds with gray hair and blue eyes. Police said in recent years he might no longer wear the beard shown in his mug shot, which authorities said isn’t a recent photo.
Investigators said they weren’t releasing other details Friday but planned to discuss the case on Monday.
Discussion: 21 comments so far…
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shocker, huh?
This is why so many lose faith in human-run religion. Worship in private. Tax the churches. Look at the abuse. Terrible.
Religious Right cracks me up!!! Ann Coulter
I wonder if this so called prophet can envision twenty to life?
I hope he gets a big o'le welcome party at the big house...what a sicko...and he's ugly as sin.
Hey, maybe this a pic of killerb?
Investigators are asking anyone with information about Benito -- including other possible victims ----Go to a NASCAR race and see which kids sit on daddys lap (lap after lap). Coo coo coo boogity, boogity, boogity, let's eat hotdogs boy!!!
Ben Catello is a mentally deranged man who has taken advantage of weak people for decades. There is a special place in hell for Mr.Catello, for abusing young girls and young women in the name of God. And now he will pay for his crimes in this life too!!!
starrynite7 -- you really should look up "libel" and "defamation." Then click on the "Full comments policy" in dark maroon next to the box in which you write your trash. Read the part about personal attacks. This is one of the big reasons you're mostly background noise to me -- your idea of a discussion is to imitate Alice's Queen of Hearts.
To get serious apart from the rest of the peanut gallery here, there's been such a spate of arrests on underage sex crimes, one has to wonder which it is -- something about Vegas Valley that makes them liking lolitas, or just Metro making an effort to stay relevant for budget justification.
Killerb...
You had me on your first paragraph;
The second paragraph defies logic. Just gibberish.
Randy at 75 years old? What's he on - growth hormones?
gmag -- your post makes little sense.
The second paragraph is a bit wordy but wotthehell, I was in a hurry.
I am new to Vegas, less than a year, so long-term perspective on local quirks isn't something I know. I posed the rhetorical question of why so many highly publicized arrests, all of men accused of various offenses against the underaged. One reason might be the water. Another could be Metro wants to justify its budget in these tough times.
If you think that "defies logic" and is "gibberish," opinions do vary.
Everyone seems upset at this pedophile but they love Michael Jackson. I can't find the difference in them.
So yet another "man of god", whether self proclaimed like this joker, or proclaimed by others like priests of a certain denomination, is caught with his pants down and his finger in the cookie jar.
Meanwhile, gay people have their basic civil rights, indeed, their right to exist free of government "special" treatment, regularly voted on and voted against primarily due to the efforts of these and other "men of God" who think that nothing needs minding so much as other people's business, or that someone's so-called "conservative" religious beliefs should carry greater wieght htan our right ot be free of them.
Is it any wonder that this country is such a mess?
Phargo -- I don't recall Michael Jackson being proven to be a pedophile beyond liking kids ... which is exactly what a "pedophile" is. Look up the roots of the word in any decent dictionary.
Also don't MJ bringing anything religious into it.
So much for religion and morality.
they should arrest the parents for being simple minded sheep that let that sicko have access to thier kids
phargo, you are TOTALLY correct.
when i mentioned the FACT that michael jackson settled out of court once for child molestation charges, then was charged with that behavior AGAIN a few years later, my comment was deleted.
and ben in oakland is correct as well. the "christians" and "mormons" (who are not christians) try to claim some moral high ground, but can't even police their own members.
it's so sad that in 2009 people still believe in religion. "the lord of the rings" has more basis in reality than "the bible".
a snake...convinced someone to eat a fruit...and that's why women have pain at child birth.
hahha!
that is SO dumb!
stevem -- what makes you say "mormons" (who are not christians)"?
mormons are not christians because they do not drink wine even though the bible instructs them to do so to recognize that jesus gave his blood for their sins.
they don't drink caffeine or watch rated r movies, even though neither one of those is mentioned in the bible.
mormons are a cult. period.
they use the myth of jesus as a base, then interpolate all their own nonsense on top of it that gives them the right to impregnate 12 year old girls.
they have CREATED their own religion by saying jesus came to visit them.
remember, you can't spell "mormon" without "moron".
The Southern Baptist are going to be upset about no wine is no Christian part. Can't wait to read some of their post.
stevem -- sounds like you're on an anti-LDS vendetta. But your "mormons aren't christians" label is far from true, since none of your criteria have anything to do with what defines christianity. Stay ignorant, your choice.