ADRIAN — Police are looking for possible additional victims of a pastor of a now-closed Adrian church who was charged Monday with two counts of criminal sexual conduct involving children.
Michael Ronald Goble, 75, of Adrian was arraigned Monday in Lenawee County District Court on two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct. He was arrested Saturday, Adrian police said in a news release.
"The public is reminded that Pastor Michael Ronald Goble is to be presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law," the release said.
The allegations involve unwanted touching on separate occasions reported by two brothers, according to an affidavit of probable cause in the court file. Police began their investigation after a 12-year-old boy reported that he was at Goble's home to help with yard work on June 26 when Goble pulled down the boy's shorts and underwear and rubbed olive oil and sunscreen on the boy's penis. The boy reported the incident to his mother in a text message while he was at Goble's home.
Police searched Goble's home and found a bottle of olive oil in the room where the assault is alleged to have occurred, the affidavit said. Goble corroborated that the boy was there to do yard work and that they went inside to put on sunscreen. He did not deny touching the boy's penis and declined to answer questions about the alleged criminal sexual conduct, police reported.
While investigating the allegation of June 26, police were told of another alleged incident involving the first boy's brother in 2022, the affidavit said. The brother was 11 or 12 years old at the time. The circumstances were similar, with the boy helping Goble with yard work and then staying the night. The boy reported that Goble rubbed olive oil on his legs and then his penis after sliding his hand up the boy's shorts.
"Based on the totality of investigation thus far, more victims are believed to exist that have not yet been identified," the release said. "Locations of significance" may include the Maurice Spear Campus juvenile detention facility, the Church of the Good Shepherd and Goble's home.
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Adrian police and the Lenawee County Sheriff’s Office are conducting a joint investigation, the release said. Anyone who would like to report a crime may contact either 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.
A probable cause conference is scheduled for Monday, July 22, before District Judge Laura J. Schaedler and a preliminary examination is set for July 29. Another hearing is scheduled for Thursday, July 18.
Bond was set at $150,000, according to online court records. Goble is represented by the Lenawee County Public Defender's Office.
— Contact reporter David Panian at dpanian@lenconnect.com or follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @lenaweepanian.
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