Newspaper Article

Suit Slapped Against Church Officer
By Eileen Shomo
Delco News Network: Garnet Valley Press - 10/19/05

A civil suit, filed earlier this month against Kenneth Brackett in Delaware County Court, also alleges that other officials in the church, including the founder, Frederick A Drummond, took no action to prevent the wrongdoing against the sisters, who were then 6 and 9 years old, and in fact conspired to cover up the incidents, even after Brackett admitted it.

According to the suit, the two sisters and their older sibling, referred to Brackett as "Uncle Ken," while they were members of the congregation. The suit charges Brackett inappropriately touched the girls on several occasions.

The suit also alleges that after the youngest sister sought help in 1999 while she was still in school, she was told by a church officials "to forgive defendant Brackett because he was sorry for what he had done," and to pray, since it was a matter between her and God.

Attorney A. Leo Sereni, who was president judge of the county court system before he retired, represents the sisters, who live in Newtown Square. They are now 22, 20 and 19 years old.

Brackett is described in the 32-page civil suit as a "high ranking member" of the church, who was a "personal aide" to Drummond. A conspiracy existed among church officials, the suit alleges, to conceal the wrongdoing and seeks in excess of $50,000 in compensatory and punitive damages.

In the civil action, Sereni asserts the defendants "upon information and belief, have all fled the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania due to charges of sexual and/or financial improprieties against defendant COS (the church) and its leaders."

According to District Attorney Joseph Brielmann, Brackett appeared last week for his criminal trial before Judge Patricia Jenkins but that it has been postponed until March.

Criminal charges against Brackett were filed last year.

The civil suit said the sisters became members of the church because they believed it "would bring them closer to God and allow them to lead more religiously fulfilling lives."

The suit also charges that "Brackett had engaged in numerous nonconsensual sexual assaults upon other children in the COS congregation which was known by the COS Steering Committee." It also alleged that the steering committee members "abused their positions of power within the church to take advantage of congregation members in a sexual manner, for a long standing period of time, and defendants made no effort to stop the wrongful conduct, despite such knowledge."

Brackett is accused that in his church position he befriended the girls' parents "to entice" them to join and to contribute financially to the church.

The suit alleges "throughout the course of (the alleged victims') childhood, defendant Brackett engaged in inappropriate and unwanted touching of the plaintiff's bodies."

The oldest sister became uncomfortable when Brackett would rub her arms and shoulders so that she learned to stay away from him, the suit states.

"At some point, defendant Brackett's actions escalated and he began to molest the two younger plaintiffs in a sexual manner," the suit alleges.

For a long period of time, the sisters kept the abuse secret because they "thought they would get in trouble for accusing 'Uncle Ken" of misconduct.

One of the girls began to suffer from depression and her grades began to suffer, and she confided in her teacher and the principal of the school she attended that were also at the church.

After Brackett was confronted about the allegations, the suit states, he admitted that the charges were true. However, despite his admission, the suit alleges, church officials "failed to report the offenses to criminal authorities, failed to kick the defendant out of the church and failed to acknowledge his misconduct and failed to take any action to help (the girl), her sisters, or any other children who were victims of this predator."

The girl was instructed not to tell her parents, that church officials would tell them, the suit charges. Instead the church failed to carry through and then spread the word that the girl had "made up false stories."

The suit states the girl became distanced from her family and "felt abandoned and alone."

The church, which has operated under several names, has long been controversial in Delaware County.

In the suit, Sereni alleges that prior to its establishment in Pennsylvania, "the defendants had presided over churches in other parts of the country, but had to change locations each time due to allegations of sexual and/or financial improprieties on the part of the defendants and other church leaders."

PART 2: The final outcome - this is a concise follow up to the above newspaper article and was derived from court records. The above article and this follow up leave out the heinous details of these cases.

A) The Civil Suit

The following defendants were charged in the civil suit above

  * Frederick A. Drummond Sr
  * Frederick Drummond Jr
  * Church of our Saviour
  * David Durham
  * Carl Durham
  * Rick Price
  * Kenneth Brackett
  * Grace Goldstein
  * Grace Bellingham

If you'll recall, the 32 page civil suit sought in excess of $50,000 in compensatory and punitive damages. According to the records, the suit was to be tried in front of a jury. Before a jury could hear the details of the charges, the suit was settled out of court where the victims received $150,000 plus.

B) The Criminal Charges
The Civil Suit above is related to these Criminal Charges. On 12/15/2004 Kenneth P. Brackett was charged with criminal sexual assault charges. Criminal charges require a much greater burden of proof than civil suits because a person's freedom is at stake. On 03/21/2006, Kenneth Brackett was found guilty and the sentence was imposed. He is currently out on probation. He was charged with the following very serious charges.

  * Aggravated Indecent Assault - 2 counts
  * Indecent Assault-W/O Cons Of Other - 14 counts
  * Indecent Exposure
  * Corruption Of Minors - 2 counts

Ken Brackett is listed as an officer/director in some of Frederick Drummond's companies in Florida such as FAD Holdings, Triumphant Ministries International and United Equity Fund.