By Investigative Reporter, Linda Sutter – October 12, 2023

Steve and Tabi Rogers are the lead Pastors of the Cornerstone Christian Church here in Crescent City, California. Their son, Austin Marquis Rogers is an MMA fighter who recently received a conviction of 6 years to a California State Prison for 8 counts of sexual charges. Sadly, the allegations did not stop at the courtroom as the Pastor of the church allegedly decided to use his pastoral forum to victim shame within the congregation. This pastor should revisit what it says about things like that in the Book of James. 

Count 1.  Penal Code 261 (A)(2) Forcible Rape. Mr. Rogers was born in 1996 and the victim was allegedly  12-14 years old. This penal code is defined as forceful rape as sexual intercourse “against someone’s will by means of force, violence, duress, menace, or fear of immediate unlawful bodily injury on the person or another.”

Count 2. Penal code 269(a)(1) Aggravated Sexual Assault of mentally disabled person  is defined as sexual intercourse with a victim unable to consent due to an intellectual disability.

Count 3. Penal Code  287(c)(1)  Oral Copulation with a child under 14 years. Any person who participates in an act of oral copulation with another person who is under 14 years of age and more than 10 years younger than he or she shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for three, six, or eight years. Mr. Rogers received 6 years.

Count 4 Penal Code 269(a)(4) committing a sexual act upon a child under 14 when the child is at least seven years younger than the perpetrator.

COUNT 5. Penal Code 261.5(D) Any person 21 years of age or older who engages in an act of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor who is under 16 years of age is guilty of either a misdemeanor or a felony.

COUNT 6. Penal Code 288(b)(1). A lewd act with a minor by force or fear involves an individual willfully touching a minor under 14 years old for sexual purposes or making a minor under 14 years old touch themselves or someone else for sexual gratification.

COUNT 7. Penal Code 288.5(A) defined as a lewd or lascivious act; committed on the body or part of a child under 14; with the intent of arousing, appealing to, or gratifying the lust, passions, or sexual desires of the child or perpetrator.

COUNT 8. Penal Code 311.11(a) prohibits a person from knowingly possessing obscene materials depicting a person under the age of 18 years old engaging in or simulating sexual conduct. Mr. Austin Rogers was in possession of pornographic material.

Currently, the case is getting sent to an appeals court.  However, Austin Rogers was remanded into custody and resides at the Del Norte county Jail awaiting for CDCR to transport him to fulfill his prison term.

The public has a right to know of these things not to press judgment but to safeguard their children  from sexual predators in an environment that holds faith and public trust through faith.