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The Reverend James E. Love of New Mount Zion Baptist Church in Brooklyn’s Bed-Stuy area is keeping a low profile these days. The pastor of a church heavily involved with the youth has been charged with repeatedly sexually abusing a 6-year-old girl that his wife used to baby-sit for. And friends, colleagues and congregation members are finding the alleged assault hard to believe.

Love posted bail on Monday night.

When the media showed up at apartment 1A of the public housing complex in Woodside, Queens, looking for pastor Love, his wife didn’t even crack the door; and instead spoke behind it, saying her husband doesn’t live there.

Regina Jennings, a family friend, told the media, “I’m still in shock.” She, too, went to the door of the apartment to offer support, but was turned away.

PIX 11 was able to get their hands on the criminal complaint from the Queens D. A. which states, “Between March and this month while the girl was being babysat, Rev. Love exposed himself to the girl, made her touch him, and he touched her, inappropriately, multiple times.”

Reports say congregation members and friends are holding vigil outside of the family’s home and no one wants to believe it. One parent, caught on camera with a baby carriage, said something to the effect of, “Either somebody’s lying or…” she trails off and then says, “The truth will come out.”

The pastor, who was supposed to hold a news conference today in front of his apartment building but cancelled, sent word through an unidentified spokesperson who said the pastor’s name “will be cleared.”

The pastor is supposed to be in court in mid-June.

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(Photo Source: PIX 11)