Sacramento -
A prominent deacon of the Baptist Church in Cool in El Dorado County has been arrested for molesting two Sacramento area girls. 65 year old Robert "Bob" Cowan was arrested by Sacramento County child molest detectives. They say he frequently attended in-home bible study sessions. The alleged incidents occurred during one such session on October 22.
According to the criminal complaint Cowan came up with several ruses to get the girls closer to him, one time asking one of the girls to read him a book.
The ten year old alleged victim said in a detective interview, "While I was reading it to him, he told me to come closer to him because he wasn't wearing his hearing aid...he put his arm around me and he put his hand down my pants."
Prior to moving to Cool Cowan lived in the Sacramento area.
"He's been associated with and a prominent member of the Baptist Church in the Sacramento area for over thirty years," said sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Tim Curran.
That is a source of concern for detectives.
"Our experience tells us that someone in a position like this there is a likelihood he has offended in the past," said Curran. They want to talk to anyone who may have been victimized by Cowan or has knowledge of inappropriate contact between Cowan and children. The sheriff's department say s victims can be vulnerable to church elders.
"They have a very high level of trust and have that trust from their victims and unfortunately some victims are reluctant to come forward, and that's what we're asking people to do," said Curran.
According to the criminal complaint Cowan came up with several ruses to get the girls closer to him, one time asking one of the girls to read him a book.
The ten year old alleged victim said in a detective interview, "While I was reading it to him, he told me to come closer to him because he wasn't wearing his hearing aid...he put his arm around me and he put his hand down my pants."
Prior to moving to Cool Cowan lived in the Sacramento area.
"He's been associated with and a prominent member of the Baptist Church in the Sacramento area for over thirty years," said sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Tim Curran.
That is a source of concern for detectives.
"Our experience tells us that someone in a position like this there is a likelihood he has offended in the past," said Curran. They want to talk to anyone who may have been victimized by Cowan or has knowledge of inappropriate contact between Cowan and children. The sheriff's department say s victims can be vulnerable to church elders.
"They have a very high level of trust and have that trust from their victims and unfortunately some victims are reluctant to come forward, and that's what we're asking people to do," said Curran.
