Sexual assault suspect attended local church
The arrest of a Marina del Rey man who portrayed himself as a spiritual healer shocked members of a Culver City-based church whose choir is known internationally.
Gerald Russell, the chief operating officer of the Agape International Spiritual Center, said Michael Keith Martin, 55, who was arrested Monday, June 21 after several alleged victims came forward, attended services but had no contractual agreement or affiliation with the church.
“He came and went to services here,” Russell confirmed to the News. “We have 9,000 members in our congregation, and when you have that many people, you can have people with behaviors that we do not agree with.”
The Los Angeles Police Department arrested Martin, who presented himself to the public as a ‘life coach,’ on charges of sexual assault June 21.
“(His victims) believed in him,” LAPD Det. Tanya Ogelsby told the Daily Breeze. “He comes across as well-educated and spiritually minded.”
Russell also confirmed that at least two of the alleged victims attend his church.
“It’s my understanding that he met them here,” he said. “I don’t know how well they knew him.”
The News obtained an e-mail sent to the church’s congregants by Michael Bernard Beckwith, Agape’s founder and spiritual director, after news of Martin’s arrest was made public.
“I want to personally write to you about the recent media coverage broadcast by various television channels and in newspapers concerning Mr. Michael Martin, who has been arrested for sexual assault. As mentioned by the media, Martin has attended worship services at Agape, although he has never formally enrolled as a member of the community,” Beckwith wrote.
“According to the reports, Martin self-described himself as a ‘sound healer and counselor.’ I want to make it clear that he has never been licensed, promoted, or authorized by Agape to conduct spiritual counseling or any other healing modality,” Beckwith continued. “Further, interactions of any kind which took place between him and others were known solely by him and those individuals until such time as the women filed their respective reports.”
Beckwith said the church is cooperating fully with the investigation.
“We ask that if you have any information concerning Martin that you please directly contact the Los Angeles Police Department. If you have any questions concerning this matter, please contact Gerald Russell.
“Your conversation(s) with him will be kept strictly confidential with the exception of any information Agape is obligated to report to the police in support of their investigation.
“Let us join together in prayer for all concerned, with full trust in the perfect operation of spiritual law.”
Police said some of Martin’s alleged assaults date back nearly five years.
He was arrested at his home without incident and is being held on $100,000 bail.
Russell said he and the alleged victims have spoken with the police and will continue to cooperate with the investigation.
“We’re keeping the perpetrator and the victims in our prayers,” Russell said.
The Agape International Spiritual Center’s choir performed at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colo., where then-Sen. Barack Obama became the nation’s first African-American nominee for President of the United States.
Anyone who has information about the ongoing investigation can contact LAPD at (213) 473-0438 or (877) LAPD-24-7.
