Pa. woman he met in Christian chat room
Allegations made by
Pa. woman he met in Christian chat room
BY CHRISTINE VARNO
Staff Writer
LONG BRANCH — The Rev. Kevin Brown is being held in Monmouth County Correctional Institution, Freehold Township, on charges of sexual assault.
The 51-year-old city resident was taken into custody on March 1. The previous night Brown, who has been embroiled in civil legal battles with the city for more than a decade, is alleged to have sexually assaulted an unidentified Pennsylvania woman he met in a religious chat room.
Law enforcement officials said he picked up the woman in Pennsylvania and escorted her to his home. She told authorities she had a few alcoholic beverages and passed out, Monmouth County Prosecutor John Kaye said.
She said she awoke to find Brown performing a sexual act on her, according to Kaye.
She called her daughter in Pennsylvania, who called 911, and Long Branch Police officials responded to the scene.
"She is accusing him of rape," Kaye said.
Brown’s upstairs apartment, was investigated by city police, who found cameras and lights set up around the bed, Kaye said.
Since 1994, Brown has been trying to open a mission church in the building he owns and lives in at 162 Broadway. The city has never issued a certificate of occupancy for the building and has not granted the necessary approvals for the church to open.
He has filed a federal complaint against the city for violating the Religious Freedom and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000. Recently a judge, sitting in Newark, ruled against him in that suit, but he has vowed to appeal.
On Sunday night, Brown’s bail was set at $75,000.
Brown pleaded not guilty at his initial appearance on March 2 and has not yet made bail.
"The only thing likely to happen over the next few months is a reduction in bail," Kaye said.
Kaye said it will be six to eight months before Brown sees a grand jury if he doesn’t get bail.
If he gets out on bail, it will be about a year, he said.
"There should not be a rush to judgment," Michael S. Kasonoff, his civil case attorney, said. "I am not representing him, but I have a good feeling once everything comes out, he will be fully vindicated. I consider him a man of the highest integrity."
Charles Uliano of the Chamlin Rosen Uliano and Witherington law firm in West Long Branch will be representing Brown.
"Kevin Brown is not guilty of any of these charges," Uliano said.