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He used religion to coerce parents into handing over their first-born girls. In 5 years, he could go free
Victor Barnard exploited religious authority to sexually abuse underage girls over a decade, with a 24-year sentence and earliest release expected in 2031, Minnesota officials said.
- Victor Arden Barnard pleaded guilty to two counts of first‑degree criminal sexual conduct at River Road Fellowship near Finlayson, Minnesota, and faces a release date of February 27, 2031, according to the Minnesota Department of Corrections.
- Barnard recruited first‑born daughters called 'maidens', framing sexual encounters as divine commands, with followers recruited through ties to the organization in the story.
- Victims were taken from families to live under Barnard's supervision, where he demanded obedience and justified encounters as religiously required, leading to charges and his arrest on February 27, 2026.
- Barnard fled and was later returned under extradition conditions imposed by the Brazilian government; an appeals court reduced part of his sentence, and the Minnesota Department of Corrections anticipates his release on Feb. 27, 2031.
- Through leadership training and outreach, Barnard recruited followers who joined his River Road Fellowship encampment, causing layered harm to victims and survivors.
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He used religion to coerce parents into handing over their first-born girls. In 5 years, he could go free
Victor Barnard faced 59 charges related to criminal sexual conduct at a rural Minnesota religious compound when he fled the country in 2014. He was found months later at a beach house in Brazil.
·Fargo, United States
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Total News Sources16
Leaning Left0Leaning Right9Center5Last UpdatedBias Distribution64% Right
Bias Distribution
- 64% of the sources lean Right
64% Right
C 36%
R 64%
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