Pastor accused of having sex with 13-year-old girl

He’s a pastor, doctor, prophet, even an apostle, preaching about unity and integrity when he’s at the pulpit, online videos about him say.

But according to a Lauderhill arrest report, Ricardo Strachan is a sexual predator who victimized a 13-year-old girl more than three dozen times from January to December 2016. He was 38.

Strachan is listed online as president of Prophetic Worshipers International Church in Lauderhill. Police say he scared the child into keeping the abuse a secret by having her steal clothes and other personal items from her family for him to use in voodoo rituals.

He also told the girl his wife was a cop and had a gun, ac- cording to a police report. Strachan had sex with the child in his vehicle in the parking lot at Dillard High School 10 times; other times he took her to a hotel, an arrest report said.

Strachan, now 40, is being held in the Broward Main Jail on a single felony count of performing a lewd or lascivious act on a victim between the ages of 12 and 16. His bond on Thursday was set at $100,000.

His lawyer, Lawrence Hashish, said his client was “completely shocked about” and “completely denies” the allegations.

Hashish said he has never knowingly represented a prophet before. “He might be a prophet, I don’t know,” he said. “We’re looking forward to our day in court to challenge these

allegations.”

The man who introduced the girl to Strachan is accused of having sex with the girl more than five dozen times from December 2015 to December 2016, police said. There was no record of his arrest in Broward County.

One of many YouTube posts featuring Strachan is from a July 3, 2013, appearance on Preach the Word Worldwide Network.

“The man of God, the prophet is in the house,” the host says introducing Strachan. “God bless you pastor, doctor, prophet, even apostle.”

Prophetic Worshipers International Church, at 1727 NW 38th Ave. in Lauderhill, was founded in 2009 and incorporated in Florida, records show.

A woman who answered the telephone there Thursday evening distanced the church from Strachan.

“He is no longer with us,” she said. “He’s been gone from Prophetic Worshipers International for a long time, more than a year.”

Praise for Strachan previously posted on the Lauderhill church’s Facebook page remained there Thursday, prominently displayed.