NJ Bishop Charged With Drugging, Sexual Assault of Minor
Flamboyant pastor has history of charges spanning three decades
Last month, police arrested Charles B. Brinson, 64, the bishop of Brinson Memorial Church in Trenton, New Jersey, on allegations of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old boy while the teen was unconscious.
Photos via Facebook
A local health center contacted Trenton police after the teen disclosed the assaults while receiving treatment, authorities said.
According to authorities, the victim reported that on two separate occasions in January and February 2024, he was visiting Brinson’s home. On the first occasion, the teen said Brinson placed “a bottle of a clear substance and a black top with no labels on it” under the 16-year-old’s nose, causing the boy to lose consciousness.
At the time of the second alleged assault, the teen said the substance was already on Brinson’s fingers when Brinson allegedly approached the victim and “swiped the substance across the victim’s nose, and (the teen) immediately lost consciousness.”
Authorities said the boy claimed to have regained consciousness during the second sexual assault.
The Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office has charged Brinson with two counts of first-degree aggravated sexual assault of an incapacitated victim and two counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child. A representative from the Prosecutor’s office told MinistryWatch that last week a judge granted the state’s motion to detain Brinson pending trial.
Questionable Pattern of Behavior
While investigating the accusations, police uncovered a pattern of concerning events linked to the bishop: Brinson faced similar charges in 2008.
Those allegations, filed in Pennsylvania, claimed Brinson drove a church van to meet, pick up, and drive a 15-year-old boy to Brinson’s home, where he sexually assaulted the boy. Philadelphia County, where the charges were filed, is around 30 miles from Brinson’s residence in Florence, New Jersey. Although Brinson admitted to befriending the teen in an online chatroom, the pastor denied meeting the teen in person or having any sexual contact with him.
The judge dropped the charges, citing a lack of evidence to prosecute. However, the victim’s family refiled the case, and Brinson signed a plea agreement, reducing his charges to a lesser offense of corruption of minors. As part of the deal, Brinson had to register as a sex offender and serve four years of probation.
In addition to legal controversies, Brinson has faced criticism for his flamboyant lifestyle, including owning two Rolls-Royces, wearing mink fur coats, and excessive gold jewelry.
However, Brinson has yet to disclose how he accumulates the wealth to afford his lavish lifestyle.
Brinson is also tied to a federal conviction in the 1980s related to a money-for-marriage citizenship scam the feds described in an indictment as an end-around immigration laws.
Furthermore, in 2009, authorities found Brinson guilty of hindering harbors charges, but court documents do not disclose sentencing details other than a downgraded charge.
In 2021, the Trenton City Council agreed to rename part of a street “Brinson Memorial Drive” in honor of the pastor’s parents. Brinson said his parents founded his church in 1971 and gave much to the local community. The city council members learned of the bishop’s questionable past after they passed the resolution.
On March 03, 2025, the council removed the street sign and restored its name to the pre-2021 label “Oakland St.”
MinistryWatch contacted Brinson Memorial Church for comment but did not hear back by time of publication.
Brinson remains detained at the Mercer County jail, with a detention hearing scheduled for mid-March. Law enforcement encourages community members to come forward with any additional information that might support the ongoing investigation.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Why does MinistryWatch report on sex crimes? These stories are tough to read and sometimes even tougher to report, but we think they are vital to our mission to bring transparency, accountability, and credibility to the evangelical church. To read more about why and how we report these stories, read “Why MinistryWatch Reports On Sex Crimes.” You can find that story here.
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