GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — A former Gastonia pastor has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of having sex with two minors in Haiti.
The indictment states that Larry Michael Bollinger traveled from the U.S. to Haiti and engaged in "illicit sexual conduct" with two minors under the age of 18.
The alleged incidents both took place in 2009 between Aug. 1 and Nov. 18, the indictment states.
Bollinger was the pastor at Christ Lutheran Church in Stanley. Church members said they are shocked and that Bollinger had a passion to help people in Haiti.
"They were such dedicated, hardworking people in the church. It's hard for something like that to even seem like it's even possible," said church member Loretta Lewis.
They said he went there with church members to build wells and help poverty stricken families.
An interim pastor stepped in about three years ago at Christ Lutheran Church.
Bollinger was arrested and is in the Mecklenburg County jail.
WSOC
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