Hosanna Church Update - The Evidence Emerges

News about the evidence found in the infamous storage shed, and some intriguing information about buried refrigerators and a CD copying setup.

And the swords, of course, are clearly collector's items, and not linked to occult rituals in any way...

I'd really love to see that list of evidence for myself. Whatever happened to the bags of costumes?

PP

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Church case documents say weapons confiscated
By BOB ANDERSON
banderson@theadvocate.com
Florida parishes bureau

AMITE -- Guns, ammunition, several swords, a crossbow pistol and more than 25 knives showed up in a search involving the Hosanna Church investigation, according to documents prosecutors provided to the defense Tuesday.

Detectives found the cache of weapons at a storage facility during an investigation of allegations of sexual abuse of children at the Hammond church, the records indicate.

Computer equipment was confiscated from the church in a separate search, the documents show.

Nine people, some of whom lived on church property, have been arrested in connection with the child rape investigation.

During Tuesday's court appearance answering a discovery request by the defense, prosecutor Don Wall provided the documents, but did not comment on what significance the confiscated items might have.

He said neither he nor investigators have had a chance to go through all of the material confiscated in the searches to determine which items may have "evidentiary value."

Though most of the items inventoried from the mini storage facility are weapons-related, the list also includes American Flag pins and "ministry pamphlets."

In the search of the church, authorities confiscated computers and related data storage devices that may have been used for making copies, the documents say.

"One of these (computer) towers could be described as a copying station due to the multiple number of CD units it contains," an affidavit states.

One of the affidavits for a search warrant cites statements from the church's minister, Louis David Lamonica, in which he talks of pictures being taken of children during sex acts in the church's "youth room."

It also states that further information indicated that refrigerators containing unknown items "may have been buried on the grounds of the Hosanna Church."

Authorities said those refrigerators have since been dug up from the grounds of the now closed church. They contained nothing.

The weapons were found in a search of a Hammond storage facility rented under the name of "Trich Pierson," according to the documents.

Patricia Pierson, one of the people accused in the case, appeared briefly in court late Tuesday. The 54-year-old blonde woman said nothing as attorneys discussed discovery before Judge Bruce Bennett of 21st Judicial District Court.

Pierson has pleaded not guilty to two counts of aggravated rape of a juvenile.