A Hilton Head church’s youth director facing 2 counts of sexual assault free on bond

The youth group director at a Hilton Head Island church who was charged last week with two counts of criminal sexual conduct with a minor age 11 to 14 is free on bond, according to court documents.

Hector Rene Morales-Pratts, 42, was booked into the Beaufort County Detention Center at 1:30 p.m. Oct. 15 and released the next afternoon, according to the jail log.

Morales-Pratts was the director of youth ministry at St. Francis By the Sea Catholic Church and School since May 2016, according to the church’s website and his LinkedIn page. He also volunteered at another church for about two years leading up to coming to St. Franics, the page said.

The incidents the charges originated from did not occur at the church and had taken place over the past two or so years, Capt. Bob Bromage, Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office spokesman, said Tuesday morning.

A call to St. Francis Tuesday morning was deferred to the Diocese of Charleston per the church’s media communication policy. Two calls to Maria Aselage, the Diocese’s director of media relations, were not immediately returned Tuesday morning or afternoon, but in an email to The Island Packet just after 4:35 p.m. Aselage attached a statement from Michael Oenbrink, pastor of St. Francis By the Sea Catholic Church.

She said the statement, dated Oct. 23, was sent to St. Francis’ parishioners.

He said leaders of the church are working to assess if there is anything that would be considered “inappropriate behavior” by Morales-Pratts on their campus.

“As of this time, no such information by either the police or my conversations with those I entrust to keep all the safe environment standards of our Parish and Diocese has come to light,” Oenbrink wrote. “I ask for your prayers for all involved in this case, and that if you have direct information to share on this case, please contact the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office immediately.”

The day after Morales-Pratts’ arrest, he was placed on administrative leave and he turned in his keys to the church and youth group computer, the statement said. It said before Morales-Pratts began work at the church, he passed a criminal history screening, completed sex abuse prevention education, and signed a code-of-conduct agreement and an acknowledgment of the church’s policy.

The total bond was $40,000, according to court documents.

A person is guilty of criminal sexual conduct with a minor in the second degree if he or she engages in sexual battery with a child who is between the ages of 11 and 14, according to South Carolina law. The charge is a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

This story was originally published October 23, 2018 at 9:51 AM.