HIV-positive man accused of raping teenage boy

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

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Police say Temple admitted to having sex with the boy on numerous occasions.

POLK COUNTY (Bay News 9) -- A man who was mentoring a teen in Lakeland is accused of raping the boy numerous times.

Lakeland police arrested 58-year-old Jere Temple, who also goes by his middle name of Michael.

He had been mentoring the 13-year-old victim in his home at Ariana Village Mobile Home Park.

Detectives say Temple admitted to having sex with the boy many times in his home and at the community's pool area.

According a police report, Temple says they did not use any means of protection when they had sex.

Police say Temple also said he is HIV-positive. The boy is now waiting for the results of an HIV test.

The boy's mother says her son met Temple at the Rainbow Promise United Church of Christ in Auburndale.

"Mom was having a hard time as a single parent, and she reached out to a mentor in her church, who happened to be evil himself," said Sgt. Gary Gross with the Lakeland Police Department's Crimes Against Children Unit.

For the last 6 months the teen spent weekends at Temple's home. Last week, he told his mother what was really going on.

"He's just been in a living hell," Gross said.

Temple's church family is shocked.

"Nobody picked up on it, and I think that's what causing all the pain because I think everyone is wondering what could I have done," said church pastor Karen Ducham.

More Information

Detectives say at this point in their investigation they have no evidence connecting Temple to any other children. But they're urging anyone in the community who feels they may have been victimized to come forward immediately.

The church pastor says Temple did not have a leadership role in the congregation. He recently applied to work as a youth group leader but was never authorized to be alone with children.

Police say Temple lives and works with his life partner. Detectives say that man had no knowledge of Temple's alleged behavior with the boy.

Tuesday afternoon a Polk County judge set Temple's bond at $1.25 million.

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