The lawsuit alleges that the properties “turned a blind eye” to abuse, exploitation and trafficking in minors by former pastors and their families.
TOLEDO, Ohio – A victim who was cared for, trafficked, and assaulted by three former Toledo pastors as a minor has filed a federal lawsuit against the pastors, their families, hotels, churches, and a company for crimes related to child trafficking and negligence it on close.
The lawsuit was brought by Jane Doe, who was a minor during what former Pastors Anthony Haynes, Cordell Jenkins and Kenneth Butler termed “Years of Abuse”.
Doe and her mother attended church at the Greater Life Christian Center where Anthony Haynes was pastor. Upon learning that Doe’s father was absent from her life, Haynes spoke to his ward and promised to become Doe a father figure.
Haynes and his wife, Alisa, volunteered to allow Doe to live with them and provide them with essentials. After moving in, Doe was a victim of harassment, sexual abuse, assault, human trafficking and exploitation by Haynes. The abuse started when Doe was 14 years old.
Haynes would give Doe money for sexual activity using funds from Greater Life accounts that have not been audited or verified.
He also encouraged and facilitated the abuse of Doe by Jenkins and Butler. In 2017, Doe moved from the Haynes household to a home with a guardian who attended Jenkins’ Church, Abundant Life Ministries.
That year, Doe’s guardian saw inappropriate messages between Doe and her abusers on her phone. She reported the abuse to Laura Lloyd-Jenkins, who at the time was part of the church leadership at Abundant Life, Lucas County Administrator, and served on the Lucas County Children’s Service board of directors.
Lloyd-Jenkins did not report the abuse and warned Haynes. Haynes warned Jenkins and Butler who wiped away incriminating evidence of the text and Facebook abuse and trafficking.
Doe told her counselor at school about sexual abuse and human trafficking. Her school reported to law enforcement agencies and a criminal investigation was opened in collaboration with the FBI that resulted in child trafficking charges and convictions against the pastors and their family members.
The abuse lasted for approximately three years in local hotels, churches, and the Franklin Park Perfumania Store. At least one other minor victim was involved in the abuse cases.
The hotels, churches and Perfumania are named as defendants in the lawsuit. All were named for alleged “willful blindness” that enabled the constant abuse to protect their reputations and financial interests.
According to Doe, if companies and churches had taken action against their perpetrators, their perpetrators would not have been able to exploit and act.
Anthony Haynes was an employee of Perfumania during the abuse. While at work and while the mall was open to the public, Haynes Doe allegedly sexually abused, exploited and traded on multiple occasions.
All three pastors were convicted of child trafficking in 2019. Haynes and Jenkins were sentenced to life imprisonment. Butler was sentenced to 17.5 years in prison.
CONNECTED: Ex-Pastor Anthony Haynes was sentenced to life imprisonment for sex trafficking
Doe witnessed the pastors’ trial. In January 2019, Anthony Haynes ‘stepdaughter Alexis Fortune, armed with a gun, and Haynes’ wife Alisa broke into Doe’s apartment and spent hours choking and threatening them in order to force them not to testify against Haynes. Do’s underage sister was present at the time.
Alisa Haynes and Fortune drove Doe and her sister to Walmart and forced them to record a statement renouncing allegations against Haynes. After she recorded the forced testimony, she and her sister were released.
Fortune and Alisa Haynes pleaded guilty to witnessing tampering and other charges related to the incident. Alisa Haynes was sentenced to 24 months in prison and Fortune was sentenced to 48 months, but was compassionately released in December to serve the remainder of her sentence.
CONNECTED: 2 convicted of witness manipulation in the trial of the former pastor of Toledo
Doe has brought 19 counts to trial against the defendants named in the lawsuit.