Former pastor pleads innocent to rape charges at arraignment

YOUNGSTOWN — The former pastor of a Cornersburg church has pleaded innocent to six counts of rape.

Dale Giffin, who had been pastor of Zion Lutheran Church until his resignation last fall, was arraigned this morning before Judge R. Scott Krichbaum of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

Judge Krichbaum set Giffin’s bond at $60,000 with 10 percent acceptable.

The $6,000 was immediately posted by Giffin’s lawyer, J. Gerald Ingram.

A trial date was tentatively set for May 11 before Judge James C. Evans.

The Mahoning County grand jury indicted Giffin, 59, of Topaz Circle, Canfield, on Feb. 19. The indictment alleges Giffin raped a parishioner while she was a young adult between 1993 and 1996. The indictment says the alleged offenses occurred in various places, including Giffin’s office, car and residence, and in the Canfield Road church basement and sacristy.

For the complete story, see Saturday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com