Baptist minister accused of sex abuse

CHICAGO (IL)
Chicago Tribune

By Julia Lieblich
Tribune religion reporter
Published February 21, 2003

A Chicago man filed a civil suit Thursday accusing a Baptist minister–and registered sex offender–with molesting him as a teenager a decade ago.

Terrance Wallace, now 26, accused Rev. Michael M. Taylor, a former associate pastor at Mt. Ridge Missionary Baptist Church, 2658 W. Jackson Blvd., with luring him into a home in April 1993, with the promise of a modeling job.

Wallace said he reported the incident two weeks later to the church’s senior pastor, Rev. Snirly Simpson, who called a meeting with Taylor and church deacons.

Wallace told them Taylor had said at the house that a photographer was on his way and that he should change his clothes for the shoot. Then, Wallace said, he pushed him down on the couch and sexually accosted him.

“He turned into a monster,” Wallace said Thursday.