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Teacher at Christian school accused of molesting boy

by Megan Baldino
Monday, May 18, 2009

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- A teacher, coach, mentor and youth group leader is behind bars, charged with 14 felony counts of sexually abusing a minor.

Police arrested 25-year-old Jenson Eugene Seifert on Friday at Birchwood Christian School.

And because of his close contact with so many children, police fear there could be more victims.

According to police Seifert used his role as a teacher and mentor to gain the trust of children, and in at least one case took advantage of that trust.

"The report was that a child had disclosed that a youth pastor teacher at the school had sexually molested him," said Sgt. Cindi Stanton with the Anchorage Police Department.

Friday police headed to Birchwood Christian School and the Crossing Church where Seifert works. He was taken in for questioning and police say he later admitted abusing the 14-year-old boy on several occasions.

"These people gain the trust of the family -- it's family friends, relatives," Stanton said.

That's exactly what happened in this case. Seifert was close with the family.

But according to charging documents the boy's mother noticed her son had become withdrawn around Seifert and asked him if something had happened.

The 14-year-old told her, "... that Seifert had touched him in a private area during an overnight youth trip to Alyeska ..."

And when police questioned Seifert he broke down, saying, "... I just want to help fix what I did wrong ...," eventually admitting "... there were several times when he touched the victim and ‘did what he did,'" according to court documents.

Police are urging parents to talk with their children.

"But generally speaking there is not just one victim when someone actually comes forward with crimes of this magnitude," Stanton said.

Calls to the school were not returned. This, a lesson, no one here likely wanted to learn.

Seifert is charged with two counts of sexual abuse of a minor in the first degree and 12 counts of sexual abuse of a minor in the second degree.

Contact Megan Baldino at mbaldino@ktuu.com