Trenton pastor charged in sex assault

New Jersey State Police have arrested a Trenton pastor on charges that he sexually assaulted a 15-year-old boy at the pastor's Burlington County home.

Charles Brinson, 48, who leads the Brinson Memorial Church in Trenton and is associated with several other churches in New Jersey, was arrested on Saturday in Trenton after police officers found him in the driver's seat of his church's van.

Authorities allege that earlier this year, Brinson picked the teenager up in Philadelphia and drove him to his home in Florence.

At some point, the sex assault was reported to the Philadelphia police. Brinson, who police said used the title of "bishop," had eluded authorities since August, when Philadelphia police issued warrants for his arrest. Brinson was carrying his passport when he was found, state police Sgt. Stephen Jones said.

Philadelphia police charged Brinson with several felonies, including contact with a minor and solicitation. He was also charged with corruption of a minor and being a fugitive of justice, Jones said.

Brinson has been involved with churches for at least two decades, public records show. A phone number for the Brinson Memorial Church could not be located and its Web site has apparently been disabled.

Brinson is being held at the Mercer County jail pending extradition to Philadelphia.

Anyone with information about Brinson is asked to call the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office at 609-989-6415 or the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office at 609-265-5879.