Ponchatouls, USA – A minister and members of his "cult-like" following are suspected of sexually molesting as many as two dozen children – as well as dogs and cats – at their church, authorities say.
So far, four adults – including the pastor and a sheriff's deputy – have been jailed, and authorities said as many as a dozen adults may have been involved in victimizing the children, ranging in age from infants to teens.
The case broke when Hosanna Church pastor Louis Lamonica walked into the sheriff's office Monday and started talking about the crimes and giving the names of others, authorities said.
"He said he was educating the children in sexual exploits and how to have sex," said sheriff's Detective Stan Carpenter. "We didn't know how to take it. The man just came in off the street."
Lamonica, 45, was arrested and booked on charges of aggravated rape and crime against nature. He and the three other adults were jailed without bail.
"Apparently some of the members of the church probably spun off from what was a legitimate church and kind of formed what you and I might call a cult, and did cult-like things," Sheriff Daniel Edwards said.
Edwards said the group used dogs and cats in some of the alleged acts, but he did not elaborate. The alleged abuse apparently took place in classrooms on the church property and not in the sanctuary, authorities said.
Some of those being investigated are parents of the victims, authorities said.
Ponchatoula, a town of around 5,000, is about 40 miles north of New Orleans.