Megapastor charged for defying coronavirus ban
Tampa-area law enforcement officials yesterday announced an arrest warrant for a local megapastor who has defied coronavirus-related bans on large gatherings, instead encouraging crowds as big as 500 people at one service this weekend, a sheriff said.
The Rev Rodney HowardBrowne, who on March 15 told his congregants at the River at Tampa Bay Church that he would close services only for the Rapture and that closings were for ‘‘pansies,’’ was charged with unlawful assembly and violation of a public health emergency order.
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister and State
Attorney Andrew Warren announced the charges at a news conference yesterday, Fox 13 reported.
‘‘There is nothing more important than faith during a time like this. And as a sheriff’s office we’d never impede someone’s ability to lean on their religious beliefs as a means of comfort, but practicing those beliefs has to be done safely,’’ Chronister said in a video of his news conference posted on Fox. ‘‘Last night I made a decision to seek an arrest warrant for the pastor of a local church who intentionally and repeatedly chose to disregard orders set in place by the president, the governor, the CDC’’ and local emergency officials. ‘‘His reckless disregard for human life put hundreds of people in his congregation at risk and thousands who may interact with them in danger,’’ Chronister said.
Chronister was asked at the news conference about social media rumours that the church had an arsenal of weapons, and whether officials were concerned. The sheriff said that in addition to weapons, Howard-Browne ‘‘has a vast security force he has deployed.’’ Concern for safety, he said, was the reason the pastor wasn’t arrested at the crowded church service, and instead officials talked to his attorneys about Howard-Browne turning himself in. A message left with the church wasn’t immediately answered yesterday, but the River’s website displayed a church statement dated March 18 that said it wouldn’t be closing:
‘‘We expect our police and firefighters to be ready and available to rescue and to help and to keep the peace. The Church is another one of those essential services. It is a place where people turn for help and for comfort in a climate of fear and uncertainty. Therefore, we feel that it would be wrong for us to close our doors on them, at this time, or any time.’’
A law firm yesterday issued a statement saying that it was representing Howard-Browne and that he had been taken into custody.