Bond reduced for Adrian pastor accused of molesting boys

ADRIAN — A retired Adrian pastor who is accused of molesting two boys had his bond reduced by one-third Thursday, as his attorney and a prosecutor argued whether he poses a threat to anyone in the community.

Investigators are learning of possible additional victims of alleged sexual abuse by Michael Ronald Goble dating back to 1984, Lenawee County Assistant Prosecutor Phebie McClure told Lenawee County District Judge Laura J. Schaedler. Whether any of those can be charged under the statutes of limitations for criminal sexual conduct offenses is being reviewed.

Goble is charged with two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a child younger than 13. The allegations involve two incidents involving brothers, one this past June with the younger brother and another in 2022 with the older brother. Each time, Adrian police reported in an affidavit of probable cause filed with the court, the boys were at Goble's home to help with yard work when he is alleged to have molested them, each time involving olive oil. The incident in June, the boy reported that they went into Goble's home to put on sunscreen, and Goble allegedly pulled down the boys shorts and underwear. While investigating that report, the older brother alleged to police that Goble had put his hand up his shorts.

Police arrested Goble July 13, and his bond was set at $150,000. Schaedler reduced his bond to $100,000 on Thursday. She ordered that if Goble posts bond that he be under house arrest without access to the internet and to have no contact with anyone younger than 18.

Goble wore orange Lenawee County Jail clothes as he appeared in court for the hearing.

Goble's attorney, Salvatore Molaro Jr. of the Lenawee County Public Defender's Office, said Goble is entitled to a reasonable bond and proposed reducing the bond to $25,000. He argued that at 75 years old with no criminal history and being a pastor he was not a threat and being a long-time resident of the Adrian area, a recent widower and being on Social Security made him unlikely to flee the area. He said that Goble has medical issues that require the regular attention of a doctor, and that the court can set parameters to keep track of him, such as setting a curfew and ordering him to wear an electronic tether and to have no contact with minors.

Molaro argued that police finding olive oil in Goble's home should not be considered in setting the bond.

"I have olive oil at home," he said.

The investigation has shown a pattern of behavior of Goble using his position as a pastor to abuse victims, McClure told the court.

"The victims would feel safer if he is not out," McClure said.

Schaedler said she is concerned that keeping Goble in his home would not be sufficient to protect others because the two charges are alleged to have happened in his home, which is why she limited who he can have contact with. However, she said at this point the charges are allegations.

"He was a pastor for years in a position of authority — we shouldn't have to deal with this," she said.

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The Adrian Police Department and Lenawee County Sheriff's Office are conducting a joint investigation into alleged abuse by Goble and are asking anyone who has a crime to report to contact Detective Kevin Putnam at the Adrian Police Department at 517-264-4819 or kputnam@adrianmi.gov or Detective Dale Sharp of the sheriff's office at 517-264-5376 or dale.sharp@lenawee.mi.us. Police said "locations of significance" where abuse may have occurred include the Maurice Spear Campus juvenile detention facility, the Church of the Good Shepherd and Goble's home.

McClure said investigators are not alleging that Campus staff did anything wrong.

The statutes of limitation — the amount of time after an offense is committed when charges can be filed — in criminal sexual conduct cases vary, depending on the circumstances, McClure said. According to the Michigan Coalition to End Domestic & Sexual Violence, in second-degree criminal sexual conduct cases, if the victim is younger than 18 years old when the crime was committed, the offender can be charged within 15 years of the crime being committed or by the victim's 28th birthday, whichever is later. If the victim was 18 or older when the crime was committed, then the statute of limitations is six years.

Second-degree criminal sexual conduct involves touching for sexual gratification.

First-degree criminal sexual conduct, which involves penetration, can be charged at any time.

Goble's next court date is a probable cause conference Monday, July 22, in district court.

— Contact reporter David Panian at dpanian@lenconnect.com or follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @lenaweepanian.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Adrian pastor charged with criminal sexual conduct has bond reduced