Texarkana Gazette
July 16, 2009
By: Lynn LaRowe
Alleged victim testifies in Alamo trial
A 14-year-old girl exchanged wedding vows with Tony Alamo while he was an inmate in Texarkana’s Federal Correctional Institution, according to Thursday morning testimony in his trial.
Texarkana Gazette
July 16, 2009
By: Lynn LaRowe
Alamo Trial: Witness: Alamo bullied family
Jane Doe No. 4 says evangelist threatened to kick family out if she didn’t marry him
In: 2009 - (Trial year), Former Member's Testimonies, Victim's Testimonies
NWA News
July 16, 2009
BY ANDY DAVIS
Witness: Alamo described sex abuse
Even after being pressured to become one of evangelist Tony Alamo’s wives when she was just 15, and then put on a schedule to have sex with him once a week, a woman testified Wednesday that she was horrified when Alamo came out of his bedroom one day and made an announcement about the latest object of his affection.
UPI
July 16, 2009
Ex-wife testified in underage sex case
A former wife testified against a leader of a multi-state ministry charged in U.S. District Court with transporting underage girls across state lines for sex.
KTAL
July 15, 2009
Reported by: Mario Boone
First Witness Testifies Against Alamo
A former wife of Tony Alamo testified Wednesday in federal court she was forced to marry and have sex with Alamo at just 15-years-old. She said girls as young as 8, 11, and 12 also became his wives. The witness, now 30, became emotional at times while describing how she and the wives had sex with Alamo on a schedule based on when they were married.
Forbes
July 15, 2009
By JON GAMBRELL
Witness: No help making pastor a ‘demon’
A woman who says she was a child bride of evangelist Tony Alamo told jurors Wednesday that the minister had so many partners that he had to schedule when he would have sex with them.
San Francisco Chronicle
July 15, 2009
By JON GAMBRELL
Witness: Pastor made her say life fine at compound
A former follower of evangelist Tony Alamo acknowledged at his sex-crimes trial Wednesday that she once wrote a letter saying life was fine inside his compound, but said the minister forced her to do so.
Fox News
July 15, 2009
Associated Press
‘Wife’ Accuses Pastor of Taking Numerous Girls as Sexual Partners
A woman who says she was a child bride of evangelist Tony Alamo told jurors Wednesday that the minister had so many partners that he had to schedule when he would have sex with them.
In: 2009 - (Trial year), Eye Witness & First Hand Accounts of Abuse, Victim's Testimonies
In: 2009 - (Trial year), Eye Witness & First Hand Accounts of Abuse
Mercury News
July 15, 2009
By JON GAMBRELL
Witness: Alamo said ‘The Lord told me to abuse’
A third-generation follower of evangelist Tony Alamo told federal court jurors Wednesday that the preacher had so many sex partners that he scheduled how often he would sleep with them.
My Way News
July 15, 2009
By JON GAMBRELL
Witness: Evangelist had total control of compound
A woman whose parents and grandparents followed evangelist Tony Alamo testified at his sex-crime trial Wednesday that “Papa Tony” segregated children by gender to prevent “hanky-panky” and controlled everything at his religious compound.
Associated Press
December 4, 2008
By PEGGY HARRIS
FBI: Girls told agent evangelist Alamo abused them
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Before evangelist Tony Alamo’s arrest on federal sex charges, three girls who lived at his Arkansas compound told an FBI agent that he had sexually abused them, and one said he had threatened to have “someone take care of you” if she talked, according to a newly unsealed FBI affidavit.
The Oregonian
September 27, 2008
by Michelle Roberts
For Tony Alamo survivors, religious abuse scars the soul
Diane Bach gives her horse Star Point a smooch on the nose at her home near St. Helens. A former member of the Tony Alamo ministry in Arkansas, Bach lived there from age 17 to 31 and was thrown out in the early 1980s after her then-husband sewed her a shirt from factory scraps and Tony Alamo called it stealing. She still struggles daily with diagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder as a consequence of brainwashing.
Former member recalls her experience with the Alamo group.
Click HERE to read the article that details Judy’s experience.
I lived at the Foundation from 1971-1982. Before I joined the group I had a job, car, place to live. Tony tries to make it seem like it was only “drug addicts” that lived there in the beginning…NOT TRUE. I really thought I was joining a “missionary group”. Boy, was I deceived. At first it was wonderful for me. To be able to pray, read the Bible and go to Hollywood each night to pass out Gospel Tracts and talk to people about The Lord. I didn’t realize, at first, that I was unable to go anywhere without Tony or Sue’s approval. I had no money of my own. No car anymore. I did babysitting, which I loved, because I love being around children. I babysat not just 5 days a week, but 6 days a week and a lot of times 7 days.
Years and years went by. I married one of the men there with Susan Alamo’s approval. We had 2 daughters. By this time, we lived in Dyer, Arkansas. As the almost 11 year mark approached, I started having feelings I never had before. Since I was so young when I joined (young, emotionally, too), I didn’t realize those feelings were depression. It hit me that we (the family) never took vacations like the “outside world.” We didn’t go other places, too, like Christmas shopping at the Mall unless we asked Sue (I never got to go; my husband went without me). He worked 7 days a week, from 7am to 7pm. The “rah, rah” mentality I had when I joined was starting to escape me. I am sure Sue saw this and before I knew it, I was asked to leave.
I was tricked into leaving my daughters behind; my husband refused to let me take them and he was not about to leave the Foundation with me. I thought to myself, “Well, I will leave for a few weeks and then come back.” Once out, I soon discovered, I didn’t want to go back. With my grandmother’s help, I was able to secure an attorney and begin divorce and custody proceedings. Long story short, my husband, instead of turning the girls over to me, per court order for me to have temporary custody, took off with them. [My now ex and my children were on the run from that point on. I feel a lot of sympathy for those who haven’t seen their children….] The FBI was contacted. I didn’t see them for 6 and one half long, long years. Even now, my one daughter will have nothing to do with me because of something Joan Decker said to her when I left. She won’t tell me what it is either.. My other daughter, I have a good relationship with..
I had met some really nice women when I lived there. To my knowledge, the one I felt was my “best friend” is still there… I am so, so, so glad I don’t live there anymore.. I have my mind back, can go where I want, when I want to. I am glad others have left, too. It saddens me to think of what is going on there with the beatings and the young girls having to be married to Tony. Ugh, Yech…. Thank you for giving all of us ex members a forum to write our feelings of the Alamo Foundation.
Wellsprings Retreat Newsletter
December 5, 2003
Children Rescued From Alamo Cult
After a bitter custody dispute, these children were rescued from the Alamo group and spent time at Wellspring Retreat with their mother while she received counseling. The names of the children have been changed to protect their identity. Sadly, the four younger children were abducted by their father shortly after and returned to the cult where they still remain.
Click on the images to open the article
The following was posted on the Factnet discussion board. Click here to read more former member’s accounts of living in the group.
Posted on Friday, January 05, 2007 – 6:12 pm:
« Previous Entries Next Entries »
