Huntington Seventh-day Adventist Church elder Clinton Bucknor arraigned on child sexual abuse charges

A 71-year-old elder at the Huntington Seventh-day Adventist Church in Huntington Station was arraigned Friday on charges of groping a 15-year-old parishioner, texting her a nude photo of himself and soliciting sex.

The elder, Clinton Bucknor, pleaded not guilty to charges of criminal solicitation, child endangerment and sexual abuse.

At the court hearing, at which his family loudly cried as the allegations were described, Bucknor was ordered held on $10,000 cash, $100,000 bond or $250,000 partially secured surety bond, according to online records. Bail had not been posted as of Friday evening, but his attorney said Bucknor is expected to post it and be freed.

The alleged texting was done on March 12 and the groping on March 16 at the church, a prosecutor said at the arraignment, held at First District Court in Central Islip.

The allegations came to light when the 15-year-old's sister called 911 on Wednesday to report alleged sexual abuse by Bucknor, according to a Suffolk County Police Department news release issued Thursday, identifying Bucknor as a pastor. 

But Alanzo Smith, president of the Greater New York Conference of SDA, told Newsday that Bucknor is an elected church elder and has since been stripped of any position with the church as a result of the allegations. Bucknor was not and never has been a pastor, Smith said.

A statement by Smith said that the church would pray for the victim and offer her support.

“Sexual assault, or abuse of any kind is not acceptable and will not be tolerated in any of our congregations. It is our conviction as a Church, that any attempt to distort or denigrate personal or gender boundaries through the perversion of any sexual behavior is a gross violation of personhood,” the statement said. “As an organization, we take very seriously our responsibility to guard the principles of Christ for healthy relationships in which the protection of the safety, dignity, and purity of children are recognized as divinely mandated rights.”

Bucknor, who is from Huntington, couldn't be reached for comment. But his attorney said that Bucknor has children and grandchildren and has been a respected member of the Huntington community for decades. 

With Macy Egeland

CORRECTION: Clinton Bucknor is a church elder. A previous version of this article misstated his position, based on a police news release.

By Matthew Chayes

matthew.chayes@newsday.comchayesmatthew

Matthew Chayes, a Newsday reporter since 2007, covers New York City.