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FLORIDA: Episcopal priest facing charges of traveling to meet minor for sex

CENTRAL FLORIDA: Episcopal priest, father, teacher facing charges of traveling to meet a minor for sex

By Desiree Stennett
Orlando Sentinel
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/ntinel
June 16, 2012

Brian Gerald Shriner, 46, spent the last month talking online to someone he thought was a child, deputies say. He was arrested Friday when he went to meet that child for sex, deputies say.

Shriner is a teacher at The Geneva School, a Christian school on State Road 436 in Winter Park, and an Episcopalian priest assisting at New Covenant Anglican Church in Winter Springs and the father of two minors.

Ginette Rodriguez, spokeswoman for the Orange County Sheriff's Office, said in a release Shriner first contacted an OCSO detective he thought was a child on May 17 and after a month of email exchanges, planned to meet for sex in Winter Springs.

He was arrested at 9:30 a.m., and The Geneva School administration and the Department of Children and Families were notified of his arrest.

The Sheriff's Office said anyone who may have been victimized by Shriner should call 407-836-4357 or call Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS.

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ORANGE COUNTY, FLORIDA: Police: Teacher solicited 'teen' for sex
Deputies arrest teacher from The Geneva School

WHES 2 NEWS
http://www.wesh.com/news/central-florida/
June 16, 2012

Brian Gerald Shriner is a respected teacher at The Geneva School, an upscale Christian school in Seminole County, where he teaches Greek, English, and other subjects. He's also an ordained Episcopal priest. But Friday, the 46-year-old man was arrested by the Orange County Sheriff's Office when deputies said Shriner exchanged emails over a period of weeks to have sex with a teen.

However, the computer teen was actually an undercover deputy.

When arrested, Shriner told Orange County Sheriff's detectives that he assisted at a church in Winter Springs. The church's pastor told WESH 2 News that Shriner is not a church employee, but does attend the church and assists the church. The church is not a member of the local Episcopal diocese.

Joe Thoma, the spokesman for the Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida, told WESH 2 News that Shriner is ordained, but he is not employed by the diocese, and does not have district authority to serve as a priest here.

So far, WESH 2 News has not been able to obtain a response from The Geneva School, which is on Semoran Boulevard, less than a mile north of Aloma Avenue.

OCSO officials said they are concerned that there may be more victims, and are asking if anyone knows of anyone who may be a victim of Brian Gerald Shriner to contact the agency, or call Crimeline.

The arrest was announced after 10 p.m. Friday in a news release. The Sheriff's Office took an unusual step, issuing a public records exemption of the arrest, which prohibited the release of Shriner's booking photo and details of his arrest.

The photo has since been released, but arrest documents are still blocked from disclosure to the media and the public.

The OCSO notified The Geneva School and the Florida Department of Children and Families of the arrest.

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Diocese of Central Florida Bishop responds to investigation of priest

Central Florida Episcopalian June 16th, 2012

The Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida has received information regarding an arrest of a non-licensed Episcopal priest who sheriff's investigators say arranged to meet with an undercover Orange County sheriff's detective posing as a minor online.

The priest, Brian Gerald Shriner, has not been licensed by the Diocese of Central Florida since June 2010.

"As Christians, an important part of the mission of our church is the protection and promotion of the dignity and care of all people, especially children and others who may be the most vulnerable and in need of special concern," said the Right Reverend Gregory O. Brewer, diocesan bishop. "Our hearts go out to everyone involved in this matter."

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