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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsHillsborough (Florida) pastor facing arrest for holding church services despite COVID-19 orders
(Miami Herald) A Hillsborough County pastor is facing arrest after he intentionally and repeatedly violated orders that no gatherings of 10 or more people he held in order to stop of the spread of COVID-19, Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister announced Monday afternoon.
The sheriffs office received an anonymous tip on Friday that Pastor Rodney Howard-Browne, the Pentecostal pastor at the River at Tampa Bay Church in Riverview, refused to stop holding mass gatherings and instead was encouraging people to come to services.
Sheriffs office personnel and legal staff spoke with the churchs legal team in an attempt to educate them about the orders they were violating on Friday and Sunday. Members of the sheriffs office command staff also tried to meet to with Howard-Browne over the weekend but he did not make himself available.
His reckless disregard for human life put hundreds of people in his congregation at risk and thousands of residents who may interact with them in danger, Chronister said.
The warrant charges the pastor with unlawful assembly and violation of public safety rules, both misdemeanors, according to Chronister.
The church has the technology in place already to stream services to its more than 4,000 members. Instead, the church, held two jam-packed services on Sunday.
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/coronavirus/article241623496.html?utm_source=pushly&intcid=pushly_501509
Newest Reality
(12,712 posts)Well...hmm...
LOCK HIM UP!
Bettie
(16,124 posts)for his "god" and the donation will flood in.
Doreen
(11,686 posts)Alacritous Crier
(3,818 posts)This is great!
pwb
(11,287 posts)They all suffer from fox news lag.
HAB911
(8,912 posts)Volaris
(10,274 posts)SoCalNative
(4,613 posts)for this bullshit.
He was booked into a local jail on Monday on charges of unlawful assembly and violating Hillsborough Countys stay-at-home order. He posted bail 30 minutes later.