Church elder accused of sex with teen

PHOENIX - A former minister in the Jehovah's Witnesses church has been arrested for child molestation in a case going back 30 years.

David Clarke Nelson, 63, was arrested Wednesday at his Phoenix home and charged with sexual conduct with a minor, molestation of a child, and public indecency.

According to court documents, the alleged incidents took place at his home between September 1980 and November 1980.

Nelson allegedly took off his clothing and had his 14-year-old victim take off his clothes on at least two separate occasions while playing a card game in which the loser had to take off articles of clothing exposing his genitals.

As the game continued, the "loser" had to touch the other's genitals, and later perform oral sex, the paperwork shows.

According to the paperwork, Nelson admitted performing oral sex on the victim to police and said he recently apologized to the victim for everything he had done, saying it was his fault, not the victim's.

Documents indicate Nelson and the victim knew each other through the church and their families were close friends.

Phoenix police said the victim told his wife about the incidents and decided to report the crimes in September, 2010.