Church Youth Group Leader Charged With Rape

A former youth group leader in southwest Missouri is accused of rape and exchanging nude photos with teenage girls.

22-year-old Benjamin Blake, of Rogersville, was charged with rape and five other felonies last week. He was freed on bond Wednesday.

According to court documents, Blake convinced one of the girls he’s accused of exchanging photos with to perform a sex act on him and threatened to harm himself if the other girl didn’t send pictures.

The statement says Blake, who was a youth group leader at Temple Baptist Church in Marshfield, was 18 and 19 at the time, while the girls were 13 and 14.