Pastor arrested, accused of soliciting a minor

A Lake Orion minister has been arrested by the FBI on charges that he attempted to solicit a minor.

Rev. William Bendert of the King of Kings Lutheran Church was arrested Friday at a Troy hotel, said John Shoup, supervisory senior special agent with the FBI’s Oakland County resident agency.

Shoup said Bendert had arrived at the hotel with the intention of meeting a minor. Bendert was expected to appear in court today, said Shoup.



Officials with Kings of Kings Lutheran Church, located on Lapeer Road, released a statement regarding the arrest, saying: “We are shocked and deeply saddened to learn of the arrest of our pastor, the Rev. William Bendert. We first became aware of this matter after his arrest on Friday, Sept. 10.

“At this time we do not know the precise charges against him. We are cooperating fully with law enforcement authorities as they investigate this matter.

“Our trust is always in God, who through his son, Jesus Christ, promises to see us through every difficulty. We seek prayers and understanding for the members of King of Kings Lutheran Church. We pray for his family, extended family, friends and Pastor Bendert. We also ask that requests for privacy be respected during this difficult time.”

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