Tampabay: Pastor goes to jail after standoff in Clearwater

Pastor goes to jail after standoff in Clearwater

By ROBERT FARLEY and KATHERINE GAZELLA

PALM HARBOR -- A pastor facing new charges of sexual battery involving three teenage boys threatened to kill himself Friday during an 81/2-hour standoff with Pinellas County sheriff's deputies.

The standoff ended about 9 p.m. when 40-year-old Randy Morrow lowered the .22-caliber derringer he had pointed at his chest and told Pinellas sheriff's negotiators, "I can't do this."

The incident began about 12:30 p.m. when two detectives went to the house Morrow shares with his parents at 1730 Joshua Court to arrest him on three counts of sexual battery on three teenage boys, sheriff's spokeswoman Marianne Pasha said.

In October, Morrow was charged with molesting the teens while working for Countryside Baptist Church.

Once Morrow realized he was going to be arrested Friday, he threatened to hurt or kill himself. He barricaded himself inside and told detectives there would be a "blood bath" if they came in after him, officials said.

Detectives called for assistance, Pasha said. Throughout the day and into the evening, negotiators from the Sheriff's Office -- as well as Morrow's parents, girlfriend, attorney and minister -- talked to him on the phone and in person, Pasha said.

When Morrow finally relented, he was permitted to speak to family members and his attorney on the pool deck behind the home before being taken to jail. When brought out to a sheriff's cruiser, Morrow yelled out to a group of family and friends gathered nearby, "I love you all."

Morrow was charged in October with three counts of lewd and lascivious exhibition and three counts of lewd and lascivious conduct. Sheriff's authorities said he touched three boys, a 14-year-old and two 15-year-olds, on their genitals and committed lewd acts in front of them in a recreational vehicle where they spent nights with him in May.

At the time of the alleged incidents, Morrow was youth pastor for Countryside Baptist Church in Clearwater.

John McGuire, one of Morrow's attorneys, has said that the three boys Morrow is accused of molesting tried to extort money from him. If Morrow didn't give them $1,000, they told him, they would make up a story about him, McGuire said.

But a detective said in court last month that he had a taped conversation between Morrow and one of the alleged victims in which Morrow apologizes for misdeeds involving drugs, alcohol and sex.

Morrow's bail was reduced from $120,000 to $45,000 last month after a judge heard from Morrow's supporters.

Pasha said the three new counts of sexual battery were based on information recently supplied by the same boys.

Morrow resigned from Countryside Baptist at the end of July and started the Church of Hope, a ministry for homeless people in Clearwater. The new church and the Clearwater Police Department clashed because of Morrow's practice of freely distributing food to homeless people.

The city requires homeless people to obtain a special card to eat at the neighborhood soup kitchen, and they can lose the card if they break the law.