Published: December 02, 2005 07:08 pm      

Former local minister jailed

Rev. James Finley accused of Sexual assault

A former longtime minister at First United Methodist Church of Cleburne was arrested by Euless police Thursday on a charge of sexual assault.

The Rev. James Leonard Finley, 68, is accused of molesting a 21-year-old man and was reportedly later recorded offering to perform more sex acts on him, according to media reports.

Rona Owen in the Euless police records division said Finley was released from the city jail Thursday evening after posting $1,000 in bail.

Finley, senior pastor of First United Methodist Church of Euless, was pastor at the Cleburne church for 17 years, according to Mildred Townsend, church administrative assistant.

He went to First United Methodist Church in Corsicana in 1998 and then transferred to Euless about four years ago.

“He was well-loved in the community, and there were no problems in Cleburne,” she said.

Euless police Lt. Steve Eskew said Finley was arrested following a traffic stop after he left the victim’s apartment.

“Apparently, he didn’t know that the victim had been talking to us, and when he left the apartment, the victim called police and the man was stopped” by patrol officers, Eskew said.

The investigation continues, Eskew said Friday, but at this point nothing else has been found involving Finley.

Eskew said Finley was a member of the Police Department’s citizen patrol and is on a list of pastors called to help people involved in tragic events.

Dewey James Sr., a longtime member of the Cleburne church, said he was “in complete shock” about the accusations made against Finley.

“He married Sharon and I 17 years ago in the church,” James said. “It is still difficult to believe. He was an excellent pastor and did a good job.

It seemed like a lot of people loved him as a pastor and preacher. The whole thing is hard to evaluate.”

James said Finley’s length of tenure in Cleburne was unusual because the church moves pastors frequently.

“I presented him a plaque for 10 years’ service and expected he would soon be moved, but he stayed another seven years,” James said.

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