A Charlotte man has become the latest to file a lawsuit against Bishop Eddie Long alleging sexual coercion.

Spencer LeGrande, 22, a member of New Birth Charlotte, says in a lawsuit filed Friday in DeKalb County, Ga., that he engaged in sexual activities with Long while the two vacationed in Kenya.

New Birth Charlotte is a 10,000-member congregation in Huntersville that was planted by Long in 2003.

According to the lawsuit, LeGrande first met Long when he and his family traveled to Atlanta to attend an International Men of War conference. They met again in 2005, the lawsuit says, when Long came to the Charlotte church for the same conference, which had a theme of forgiving fathers who had been absent in their sons’ lives.

After the service, the lawsuit alleges, LeGrande approached Long to say how much the sermon had moved him. LeGrande also shared that his own father had not been present in his life.

Long hugged LeGrande and instructed an assistant to take his contact information, the suit alleges.

Later that year, after months of contact, the two traveled to Kenya in Central Africa. During that trip, LeGrande alleges, Long gave him Ambien, a popular prescription sleep aid, followed by a "prolonged hug," kissing and rubbing, according to the suit.

The suit claims the two shared a bed for the remainder of their trip. LeGrande was 17.

The two men took other international trips together, according to the lawsuit -- one to South Africa in February 2005 during which Long introduced LeGrande to Winnie Mandela, and another to Zimbabwe and Kenya in June of that year.

During each of the three trips, LeGrande alleges, Long gave him gifts and expensive meals.

Following the Zimbabwe-Kenya trip, LeGrande alleges, Long persuaded him to attend Beulah Heights University in Atlanta to prepare for the ministry. He said Long paid his tuition and put him up in an Atlanta house owned by a New Birth Minister, later moving him to other locations. LeGrande said Long also bought him a Dodge Intrepid.

His lawsuit says Long admonished him to “go to school, keep up with his Armor Bearer duties, attend church, and have no girlfriends.”

LeGrande moved back to Charlotte in October, 2009. His lawsuit says the sexual contact with Long was the result of "manipulation, coercion, deception and fraud."

LeGrande alleges that "various individuals" at the Atlanta church knew the nature of his contact with Long but did nothing to intervene.

LeGrande is the fourth man this week to file a lawsuit against Long alleging that the preacher used his influence and the power of his office to coerce sexual contact. The other three – Anthony Flagg, 21, Maurice Robinson, 20, and Jamal Parris, 23 – were from Atlanta. All of the men claim that they were in their late teens when the incidents occurred.

Long, one of the nation’s most prominent black ministers, has denied wrongdoing but has remained largely silent. His lawyer, Craig Gillen, said Long will address the allegations at the appropriate time.

"Long will categorically deny the charges," the Atlanta Journal-Constitution quoted New Birth spokesman Art Franklin as saying. "We believe that it is unfortunate the young men have chosen to take this course of action. The defense team will review the complaints and respond accordingly at the appropriate time and in the appropriate forum."

Download a copy of the lawsuit.
 

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