Battery charges added to pastor previously arrested for sexual battery

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Lorenzo Lee Crawford, 54, the Apostle/Founder/Overseer of the Christian Coalition Family Church, has been charged with four counts of felony battery after another victim came forward; Crawford was previously arrested in May and charged with ten counts of sexual battery on an adult victim, one count of sexual assault with no physical force, one count of aggravated battery, and one count of aggravated child abuse.

The victim told an Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy that she attended Crawford’s church between April 2021 and March 2022 and said that Crawford “spanked” her at least four times for having “an attitude” or refusing to do what he told her to do. She said she thought the discipline was normal and that she looked to Crawford as a father figure; she said Crawford used scripture to coerce her into accepting his actions. Crawford allegedly spanked her in front of others, and the victim said she was embarrassed and angered by the spankings.

The victim said that in March 2022, she was one of the last to leave the church one night, close to midnight. She said Crawford called her into his office and told her to apologize for being angry at another man; when she said she was still angry, Crawford allegedly forced her into a long hug, then sat back down. When she said she was still angry, he allegedly hugged her again and backed her into a couch, then laid her on the couch. Crawford allegedly laid on top of her and told her to open her legs so he could get closer; she said she went along with it because she wanted to be sure of his intentions. The victim said when she told Crawford she was still upset, he got up and appeared “flustered,” then became angry and accused her of playing games with him.

The victim said that when she tried to talk to Crawford about the incident during the following week, he would tell her to “leave that alone,” and she decided to leave the church. She said that on her last day at the church, Crawford punched her repeatedly in the shoulder, saying, “You really going to leave?”

Crawford has five domestic battery misdemeanor convictions, one battery misdemeanor conviction, one misdemeanor conviction for violating pre-trial release conditions, one conviction for violating a domestic violence injunction, ten misdemeanor convictions for driving without a valid license, and one misdemeanor conviction for passing a worthless check.

Crawford has remained in the Alachua County Jail since his May 23 arrest.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.