Police: Self-proclaimed ‘prophet’ likely has other abuse victims

By Cara McCoy, Jinae West

Published Monday, July 6, 2009 | 3:09 p.m.

Updated Monday, July 6, 2009 | 5:32 p.m.

Authorities said a man who runs a church out of his Las Vegas home and calls himself a prophet likely has other sexual abuse victims and Metro Police are asking them to come forward.

"We feel confident that there could be other victims out there," Metro Police Lt. John Bradshaw said during a news conference today.

Benito Catello, 75, who police are describing as a self-proclaimed "prophet" and the leader of The Ministry church in northeast Las Vegas, is charged with 29 felonies. The charges include sexual assault, sexual assault with a victim under 14 years of age and lewdness with a minor under 14 years of age.

Catello is receiving medical treatment at a local hospital but has been booked into the Clark County Detention Center in absentia, Bradshaw said. He is being held on bail of $295,000, according to detention center records.

He is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday morning.

According to arrest records, Catello hasn't denied the sexual encounters. He allegedly told police that if he did have sexual interactions with the minors, it was "because he was full of 'the spirit' and can't help what he does when he is full of the spirit."

Catello allegedly told police that he is a prophet and that God speaks to the the minors through him, the arrest report indicated.

Anything that happened when he was in the company of the minors is "God's doing" and Catello shouldn't be held responsible, he told police, according to the arrest report.

"People go to therapy and go to church because they're looking for comfort. It's supposed to be a safe haven. You go there, you expect it to be a good place, a safe place," Bradshaw said. "(Parents) need to always be on guard. Something like this could happen any place at any time."

Bradshaw said allegations were made against Catello in the early 1990s, but there wasn't enough evidence to substantiate the claims and he was never charged. In this case, the victims and their families contacted police and a search warrant was executed at Catello's home on Friday.

Police said Catello is not registered with the county as a preacher or counselor and the church is not registered with the Internal Revenue Service as a charitable organization, the investigation has revealed so far.

Catello has four adult children and was married at one point, though it was unclear if he was still married, police said.

"We feel he was probably befriending the parents and under the guise of giving the children counseling," Bradshaw said.

According to police records, the minors either lived or stayed with Catello at his home. The minors, longtime members of the nondenominational church, had been conditioned never to doubt or question Catello, the church leader, records show.

"These types of relationships are managed for months, for years sometimes. It's not something that happens overnight. Predators use that -- they get into relationships with their victims and their families so they can have opportunity to conduct their crime," Bradshaw said.

The arrest report indicates that the members of the church are called "sheep." They consider Catello to be a prophet, and call him "papa."

The minors told police they, along with their families, were threatened with excommunication from the church if they didn't comply with Catello's sexual demands. They were publicly berated in front of the congregation if they denied Catello, according to the report.

One of the minors is alleging abuse while living at Catello's home in the spring and summer of 2008. The other said the abuse happened at Catello's home in 2007.

According to an arrest report, one minor said Catello told her that denying him would lead to her entire family being banished from the church and that she would "burn in hell."

When officers responded to Catello's home on Friday, he willingly spoke with police about the allegations, authorities said.

"I want to settle this, I'd be happy to talk to you or anyone," he told detectives, according to a report.

Neighbors grew suspicious of activity

Monday afternoon, it was mostly quiet in Catello's northeast Las Vegas neighborhood.

Enrique Esquer, 43, lives across the street from Catello. He said he was surprised by the charges.

Esquer said that before Catello's arrest, he often saw young adults and children hanging around Catello's house. After talking to a few of them, who Esquer said were mostly female, he said he learned some were runaways.

"They used to stay there and clean the front yard or clean the truck," Esquer said. "They were always doing something for him. It was kind of weird."

Esquer said he has only talked to Catello once.

"One time I asked him if he did any Bible studies, and he didn't answer me," he said. "He just walked away, and that's when I started to get suspicious."

Similarly, John Pollard, 59, has lived in the neighborhood for 10 years and, during that time, has talked to Catello sparingly. His house is next door to Catello's.

"He kept to himself pretty much," Pollard said. "He was kind of an invalid."

Pollard said Catello used a wheelchair, wore an oxygen mask and didn't go outside much. He said some of Catello's followers told him Catello was gravely ill and that Pollard should come over if he wanted to see him.

"But that was three years ago, so he made a miraculous recovery, I guess," Pollard said.

He said Catello's followers numbered about 20 to 30 people, who arrived every Saturday and Wednesday evening about 6 p.m. Police have said his congregation numbered anywhere from 30 to 100 followers at various times.

"They would say (Catello) was the real deal because the other preachers charged money, and this guy didn't ask for any kind of money," he said.

The chief complaint neighbors had, Pollard said, was the traffic during the meetings. He said the street would be so packed that he was often unable to get into his driveway.

Pollard said he assumed the people hanging around the house were relatives: daughters, granddaughters or nieces, perhaps. They were there often, even on days the meetings weren't held, he said.

"You just never knew who anybody was," he said.

Investigators are asking anyone with information about Catello -- 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.