Pastor indicted for sex crimes against children

Harriger

A pastor who used to lead a church in Lyndonville has been indicted by an Orleans County grand jury on charges of incest, first-degree sodomy and course of sexual conduct against three children.

The Rev. Roy Harriger, currently pastor of the Community Fellowship Church in the town of Hartland in Niagara County, allegedly committed the crimes between September 2000 and September 2001, when he was pastor of the Ashwood Wesleyan Church in Lyndonville.

Harriger, 70, of Middleport was charged on Nov. 27 by the State Police with two counts of Course of Sexual Conduct (B Felony), two counts of Incest (E Felony), and four counts of Sodomy 1st (B Felony).

A state police investigation revealed the alleged crimes were perpetrated in New York, as well as the states of Michigan and Pennsylvania between 1974 and 2003. The alleged incidents in Michigan and Pennsylvania have been referred to their respective State Police agencies, New York State Police said.

Orleans County District Attorney Joseph Cardone is prosecuting the charges against Harriger, who was the pastor at Ashwood Wesleyan for 12 years before he was terminated by the church in 2009 after a falling out with denomination leaders. Harriger then started a new church, Community Fellowship Church in Johnson Creek, which is in Niagara County.