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Self-proclaimed 'prophet' accused of sexual battery on child in Orange County

A 50-year-old self-proclaimed prophet is accused of sexual battery on a child, authorities said.
Lauro Adame was arrested Thursday by U.S. marshals at a home in Melbourne and taken to Orange County, where he remains in jail without bail, officials said.
Adame said he has been preaching in ministries across the world for decades.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Court records show that a warrant was issued for Adame's arrest more than a month ago after a judge found probable cause in the case. Officials have not said why the arrest took so long.

On his website, Prophet Adame Ministries, Adame details how he “received his calling at the age of seven by a divine encounter he had with the Lord.”

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On Thursday, Adame stood in front of a judge, accused of lewd and lascivious conduct and sexual battery on a child under 12.
A neighbor told Channel 9 he saw the marshals go into the Melbourne home.
“A bunch of U.S. marshals just pulled up in the road, pounded on his door and took him away. That was it. They were only here for, like, 10 minutes,” the neighbor said.
He and other neighbors told Channel 9 they had no idea Adame called himself a prophet.
“I had these weird feelings about him. I kind of really didn't like him because he was, like, hyper,” the neighbor said.
Adame has five counts of child sexual abuse charges filed against him, including:
Count 1: Performing a sex act against a person under 12 sometime between 2013 and 2015.
Count 2: Touching a person under the age of 12 between 2012 and 2016.
Count 3: Touching and kissing a victim on Valentine's Day in 2005 or 2006.
Count 4: Sexual battery on someone whom he had a position of family or custodial authority.
Count 5: Touching someone under the age of 16 as recently as last fall.
Adame told the judge he is waiting to speak with his lawyer Saturday.

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