The New Mexico Court of Appeals on Tuesday tossed out the convictions of a religious group's leader who had been found guilty of sexual misconduct with teenage followers.

The Associated Press reports:

The court ruled a grand jury's term had expired months before it returned an indictment against Wayne Bent and that a district judge didn't have the power to extend its term. A three-judge panel of the court ordered the case back to district court and said the 70-year-old Bent is to be released from custody.

The court left open the option that charges could be refiled.

Bent was sentenced in 2008 to 10 years in prison for criminal sexual contact with a minor and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. [...]

Bent, who calls himself Michael Travesser, is the leader of The Lord Our Righteousness Church. Its followers live in a compound they call Strong City in a rural area near the community of Clayton, close to the New Mexico-Colorado border. [...]

Bent was a minister for the Seventh-day Adventist Church but separated from it more than 20 years ago. He claims God spoke to him in 2000 and told him he was the Messiah.

A jury convicted Bent of the felonies for lying in bed with naked 14- and 16-year-old sisters in separate incidents in 2006.

Bent and the sisters testified the incidents were spiritual exercises and nothing happened sexually. The teens said Bent did not touch intimate areas, and Bent testified he had placed his hands on the sternums, but not the breasts, of the girls.

Full story: Court overturns cult leader Wayne Bent’s convictions

Clayton, NM -- Nearly two years after the arrest of self proclaimed messiah Wayne Bent, NewsChannel 10 became the first media allowed inside the Strong City compound north of Clayton.

Even after their spiritual leader went to prison, life continues for the group that says they're leaving everything in God's hands.

http://www.newschannel10.com/global/video/videoplayer.js?rnd=245750;hostDomain=www.newschannel10.com;playerWidth=300;playerHeight=240;isShowIcon=true;clipId=4523964;flvUri=;partnerclipid=;adTag=null;enableAds=false;landingPage=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.newschannel10.com%252Fglobal%252Fcategory.asp%253Fc%253D161688%2526clipId%253D%2526topVideoCatNo%253D72494%2526topVideoCatNoB%253D118089%2526topVideoCatNoC%253D121195%2526topVideoCatNoD%253D120082%2526topVideoCatNoE%253D137000;islandingPageoverride=false;playerType=STANDARD_EMBEDDEDscript

If you spend a day walking around the remote property of the Lord Our Righteousness Church in Northern Union County, and you wouldn't believe you were amongst what New Mexico State Police call an apocalyptic cult.

One member of the group, Anaiah, says, "God brought us out here into this wilderness place, to bring us into a quietness not only in our environment but into our hearts."

The 2008 arrest of their spiritual leader, self proclaimed messiah Wayne Bent, rocked that quiet.

Since then, the group of about 35 say they've become even closer.

Bent's son, Jeff Bent, says, "When persecution comes, people tend to drop whatever remaining differences they have, and kind of collectively pull together."
[...]

Now, while they wait for their messiah to return to Strong City, they look forward to the time God takes them and all Christians off this earth completely.
[...]

Bent's lawyers have filed an appeal, and are awaiting the response from the state.
[...more...]

Cult?

Theologically, the Lord Our Righteousness Church (aka Strong City), is a cult of Christianity since its teachings and practices fall far outside the boundaries of the Christian faith it claims to represent.

Sociologically the group has cult-like elements as well.

Note the differences between theological and sociological definitions of the term 'cult.'

See Also

• Cult leader Wayne Bent found guilty
• More about Wayne Bent
• Background of Bent's 'Strong City' cult

Full story: NewsChannel 10 allowed inside self proclaimed messiah’s compound

New Mexico's highest court has denied sect leader Wayne Bent's petition to be released on bond from prison while he appeals his convictions for sexual misconduct with teenage female followers.

The Supreme Court denied the petition without explanation, as had the Court of Appeals.
[...]

AP also says Bent is being force-fed. A judge cleared the way for that after the cult leader tried to starve himself by means of an extended fast in protest of his imprisonment.

Full story: New Mexico Supreme Court denies cult leader Wayne Bent’s bond petition

Attorney General Gary King's office is opposing Wayne Bent's petition to the state Supreme Court for bond while awaiting appeal.

Bent's previous filings on district and state levels were both denied.

Assistant Attorney General Margaret McLean asks the Supreme Court to uphold the previous courts' rulings.

She cites no "clear and convincing" evidence that Bent, Strong City leader, won't flee or pose danger to another person or community. She also says a reversal or order for a new trial is unlikely and argues there are no grounds to revisit granting an appeal bond.
[...more...]

Full story: AG opposes cult leader Wayne Bent’s bond petition

Judge OKs force feeding cult leader

An imprisoned cult leader on a hunger strike won't be getting home-cooked meals from his followers and instead may be force fed through a tube, a District Court judge decided Wednesday.

Wayne Bent is serving a 10-year prison sentence for sexual misconduct with two underage female cult members.

He hasn't eaten since September 11th and stopped accepting water a few days ago. Bent said he's refusing food because accepting it from the state is like bowing to an idol.

Instead he wants his cult members to bring him home-cooked food for the rest of his prison sentence.
[...]

Many of Bent's cult followers were in court on Wednesday. They brought him orange juice, water and an energy drink and for the first time in three days, Bent took a drink.

He said he would take food and drinks but only if his spiritual family provided it. He said he is not taking foods or drinks from the prison because it is part of an institution that wrongly convicted him of a sex crime in December 2008.

Bent's attorney tried to get the judge to allow cult followers to prepare food and bring it to his client in jail. The judge ruled against that and said that would cause chaos and prison guards would have to be food inspectors.
[...]

A doctor for the state testified Wednesday that if the fast continues, Bent's vital organs will shut down and he would die in a matter of days.

"He would stand perhaps a ten percent chance of expiring from it on Friday, perhaps a 50 percent chance within eight days of beginning that fast," the doctor said.

After nearly three hours of testimony, the judge said the argument came down to one question—not if, but when Wayne Bent will die. He will allow Bent to continue his fast unless a doctor decides to intervene by inserting a feeding tube.
[...]

Full story: Judge OKs force feeding cult leader Wayne Bent

Cult leader Wayne Bent is scheduled to be in court on Wednesday as a judge decides whether the state should force feed him.

Bent wrote letters to his cult in Union County letting them know that he will begin fasting on Sept. 1.

His fourth week of fasting is fast approaching, he will not have any food or water. Now the state is rushing a decision to intervene and force feed him with IVs and tubes.

Medical experts said that within seven days of no water, his organs will begin to break down.

Jeff Bent, Wayne Bent's son, said the state needs to accept his father's wishes and religious practices and not force him to eat.

Full story: Court could intervene on cult leader’s fast

Self-proclaimed messiah starves again

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Convicted church leader Wayne Bent has said he no longer wants to eat, and the self-proclaimed messiah could die in prison if he carries out his plan.

http://www.krqe.com/video/videoplayer.swf

Bent first made the promise almost a year ago when he was sentenced.

"I won't be spending time in prison, but for a few days," Bent said.

Now Bent is again promising to starve himself to death, and this time he said he means it.

In an online statement posted on his church's Web site, Bent outlined his plan to starve himself.

Saturday his son, Jeff Bent, explained why this time it's different.

"He sees that now he will be following through on what he said he would do for a year—that he won't live in prison over a lie," Bent said.

Bent was convicted of molesting one of his teenage followers last year, stemming from a 2006 incident when he touched her while she was naked.

He claimed they were acts of healing, but the jury didn't see it that way. The 68-year-old is now locked up in the Los Lunas prison. The state appeals court recently ruled against him.
[...]

Prison officials said they take each threat of an inmate fasting seriously, and that's why Bent is now isolated. If his health deteriorates to a point of near-death, they say they will let the court decide what steps to take to next.

Bent was sentenced to 18 years in prison. The judge suspended eight of those years.
[...]

Full story: Cult leader Wayne Bent starving himself again

Cult member returns to Strong City compound

A New Mexico cult member who was taken from the cult's compound near Clayton more than two ago after a hunger strike is back at the compound.

That is according to the cult's website.

The 25-year-old woman, known as Esther, stopped eating in protest of the 10-year prison sentence given to the cult leader, Wayne Bent.

A little over a week ago, authorities took Esther off the property to try and get her to eat.

Just hours before her removal, she talked to Eyewitness News 4's Jeremy Jojola and said she hadn't eaten since Dec. 30.

Esther wrote out a signed statement refusing medical care, saying "I don't want to be resuscitated unless Wayne Bent is released."

"I'll stand like a rock," she said.  "I'm not giving in."

"I love Michael [Bent] with all my heart, and he means more to me than the world will ever know, and he's just precious to me, and I'm not going to live with his suffering."

"I want people to just leave me alone," she said.  "Let me do what my religious beliefs are."
[...]

Full story: Cult member returns to Strong City compound

Bent follower talks about death wish

A New Mexico cult member has spoken exclusively to Eyewitness News 4 about why she wants to die for Wayne Bent, the man she believes to be God but a jury convicted as a child molester.

Eyewitness News 4 investigative reporter Jeremy Jojola spoke with the woman, known as Esther, just hours before deputies took her away from her cult compound near Clayton.  It is where she has lived in isolation since she was six years old, along with others who believe Wayne Bent to be the messiah.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUU7sQPxD5w&hl=en&fs=1&w=425&h=344]

KOB Eyewitness News 4, Albuquerque, NM report

The compound, known as Strong City, is 311 miles from Albuquerque — the last 30 on dirt road.  It is here in a trailer home that we found a pale and weak looking woman with a heating pad on her lap, sitting still in a chair.  She is 25 years old.

"The last time I ate was the morning of December 30th," said Esther.

That was the day Wayne Bent, known as "Michael" to his cult, was sent to prison for ten years for touching a teenage follower's breast as she lay naked with him.

He claims it was a healing ceremony.

"I swear by God that he is in jail over a lie, and I won't support that," said Esther.  "I'm willing to die on what I stand on, which is purely God's instructions to me.  I wouldn't be doing this if God hadn't told me to, but I'm willing to die doing what God told me to do, and in essence, yes, it would be for Wayne Bent."

Esther wrote out a signed statement refusing medical care, saying "I don't want to be resuscitated unless Wayne Bent is released."
[...]

Jeff Bent, Wayne Bent's son, also signed Esther's statement as a witness.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_mJa6arEV8&hl=en&fs=1&w=480&h=295]

The Strong City cult has posted its own video of the interview at its website.

"It's not my heart's desire for Esther to fast on the level she is and taking it to this length," said Jeff Bent.  "But that's her conviction, and she's really acting out how we all feel about this injustice, and we're going to fight it."

But the written statement didn't work.  Ten hours after Eyewitness News 4's Jeremy Jojola sat down with her, Union County deputies handed Esther a judge's order demanding she get into an ambulance to receive medical attention.  The video was posted online by cult members.

Esther's older sister, who is no longer part of the cult, got the order to keep Esther from harming herself.  Elsa Sayer is also a former member of the Strong City Cult.  She has no problem with deputies hauling Esther off to the hospital
[...]

It was Sayer's two daughters who climbed into Wayne Bent's bed naked, leading to the charges against him.  Sayer hopes now that Bent is gone, his followers will see the light.
[...]

There are 45 people remaining in the Strong City compound, according to Jeff Bent.  No one has moved away since his father was sent to prison.
[...]

Full story: Cult member talks to reporter about her wish to die for jailed leader

Strong City sect member removed from compound

A member of a northeastern New Mexico religious sect has been removed from the sect's compound near Clayton by sheriff's deputies so they can convince her to eat.

According to an entry on the Strong City Web site of The Lord Our Righteousness Church, a woman named Esther was taken by Union County deputies late Wednesday night, a day after they had checked on her condition at the sect's compound.

Esther, also known as Aquinnah O'Keefe, has been fasting since the sect's leader, Wayne Bent, was jailed for the sexual molestation of two teenaged girls. Bent, in an open letter in the Web site, pleads to be released from jail so he can convince Esther to eat.

Bent, who has maintained his innocence, is also fasting.

A Web entry reports that Esther was met late Thursday by deputies and an ambulance and said that she was being taken away from Strong City against her will.
[...]

See also

• Esther speaks about her fast Note: all information hosted at the strongcity.info address is produced by the Strong City cult. Links to the site are included for information and research purposes only.
• CultFAQ Frequently-Asked Questions about Cults

Full story: Strong City sect member in process of starving herself removed from compound