Larry DuRant: South Carolina minister sexually abused girls to stop them liking females and getting pregnant

A South Carolina minister has been charged with using private prayer sessions to sexually abuse three girls.

Larry DuRant, of Word Inteational Ministries in Sumter, allegedly performed sex acts on the victims, telling them it would heal them from 'liking females, contracting sexual diseases or becoming pregnant'.

The 58-year-old has been charged with criminal sexual conduct for allegedly abusing the girls, including one as young as 11, over two years.

DuRant was first investigated after the parents of one of the alleged victims spoke to their daughter about the healing sessions.

Police, who started investigating DuRant in May, believe there may be other young victims who have yet to come forward.

'The manner in which he lured them in, we feel that at some level there's a strong potential that there may be other victims we're talking about a span of, right now, over two years,' Deputy Chief Alvin Holston said.

'It appeared that he may have had a routine on gaining the trust and the private company of some of the juveniles,' he told WLTX.

Court documents show that since 2011 DuRant, whose wife Melody also works at the church, had offered private prayer sessions at two Word Inteational Ministry centers and his home, according to the Examiner.

The victims told police DuRant had coerced them into sexual intercourse using his position in the church and convincing them that it was part of a ‘healing process’, a Sumter police spokesman said.

According to court documents, one of the victims claims that when she was 18 Durant had sex with her at his home, telling her it was to stop her from 'liking females'. 

The victim claims DuRant told her not to tell anyone of their 'private prayer session' or to 'go against God's will'.

DuRant has also been charged him with forgery, for allegedly forging the name of the grandmother of one of the victims on a quit claim deed and filing it with the Sumter County Register of Deeds.

Officers say the forgery occurred after the sexual assaults were reported to law enforcement.

Sumter police are asking parents to talk to their children so they can find out if there were other victims.