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Traveling North Carolina Evangelist Convicted Of Raping Pennsylvania Girl

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Posted: Fri 7:30 AM, Sep 21, 2012

A traveling preacher who claimed an 11-year-old girl became "belligerent" when he refused to sleep in the same bed as her has been convicted of raping the girl at a southwestern Pennsylvania motel.

A Bedford County jury convicted the Rev. Walter Bradshaw of 22 of 24 counts Thursday after the Lexington, N.C. evangelist denied the allegations, saying the now-15-year-old girl was vindictive and "could turn on you."

Investigators say Bradshaw raped the girl at a Bedford motel in 2009 while in town for a revival.

The girl's mother pleaded no contest to endangerment and soliciting perjury. Authorities said she knew Bradshaw intended to have sex with her daughter.

Prosecutors played a recorded phone call in which Bradshaw apologized to the girl. Bradshaw claimed he wasn't referring to a sex act.



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