Shaantal Garlick (L), Benjamin Garlick (R) pictured in a GoFundMe photo with their kids and (inset) in Rutherford County, Tennessee, mug shots.
A traveling evangelist and his wife were reindicted last month for abuse allegations, and in light of new charges, cops in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, are reaching out to see if there are more victims. In particular, they highlighted the Hispanic community, noting that the husband, Benjamin Swan Garlick, 32, focused his work there.
Charges against him include seven counts of aggravated rape of a child, six counts of aggravated sexual battery, two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, and two counts of violation of the child protection act, officers wrote Friday.
The wife, Shaantal Garlick, 30, now faces two counts each of facilitation of aggravated rape of a child and aggravated child neglect, cops wrote.
People can reach out to Detective James Wilkinson at 629-201-5612 or email [email protected].
A grand jury originally indicted the couple on the original charges in September, a month after Shaantal Garlick reportedly filed for an order of protection against her husband.
The couple previously raised $18,000 from a December 2022 GoFundMe campaign to fund their purchase of a new van.
“That van pictured here is now over 418,000 miles on the odometer and, by His grace, still chugging along,” Benjamin Garlick wrote from San Antonio, Texas. “My first responsibility is to be a husband and father. Our vehicle allows me to fulfill that role while we travel together. This year our family once again outgrew our vehicle, and while we were so excited to receive our [new baby] into our family, we knew that In the Lord’s timing, He would open the door once again for us to get the vehicle we prayed for. And pray we did. His timing is perfect; this week, He opened the door to find the van we have been praying for. Here we are with the new van.”
A version of the message above was also written in Spanish. YouTube videos have shown that Garlick has often preached before congregations in Spanish.
Benjamin Garlick remains at the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center on $825,000 bond. Shaatal Garlick, who was out on bond but was rearrested with the reindictment, got out of jail again after posting a $75,000 bond.
Matt Naham contributed to this report.
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