New Haven Pastor Charged with Sex Assault of a Minor: PD

New Haven, CT- A local pastor was charged with sexually assaulting a minor who was a member of his church and choir, according to police.

Walter Williams, 59, of the Walk of Faith Church of Christ on Fairmont Avenue had as many as six sexual encounters with a minor between July 2015 and April 2016, said Officer David Hartman, police spokesman.

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Williams founded the church in 1986, according to his biography on the church's website. He is the father of six children and four grandchildren and was a senior pastor of a church in New Haven at the age of 24.

The victim's mother learned of a relationship between her daughter and Williams through messages on her daughter's phone. Messages have been recorded into evidence by police.

"In June of 2016, the victim’s mother told Detective Abbate she saw a graphically disturbing Facebook message from Williams to her daughter," Hartman said. "She said she was so upset she couldn’t continue reading it and questioned her daughter when she returned home."

The victim told her mother about the relationship, Hartman said.

The victim detailed the alleged encounters to police. The first encounter happened at Williams' home in Northford a day prior to a relative's birthday, Hartman said.

The second encounter happened in Williams church office. Two encounters happened during rent collection errands at Williams' residential property, which was reportedly vacant.

Another occurred at Williams' home and the sixth alleged encounter was at the church.

Williams was questioned by police July 7.

"During the interview, Williams admitted to 'five or six' sexual encounters with the victim," Hartman said. "The encounters he described generally matched those described by the victim. They ran the gamut between touching and intercourse.

Williams was charged July 11 with fourth-degree sexual assault, five counts of second-degree sexual assault and three counts of risk of injury to a minor. He was held last evening on a $250,000 bond and arraigned Tuesday morning.