Cultist accused of child molestation spotted on West Side

An accused cultist and sex offender thought to be in Spokane earlier this year was spotted Wednesday in Aberdeen on Washington’s west coast, the Washington State Patrol said. A warrant was issued in Minnesota for Victor Barnard’s arrest in April. The 52-year-old leader of the River Road Fellowship is thought to have solicited sex from girls as young as 12 and 13 whom he called his “maidens” and told they would remain virgins after sex because he was a “man of God,” according to court documents. The WSP issued an alert in April that Barnard might be in the Spokane area. Authorities said at the time that they had contacted followers who had settled in Spokane. A witness told the WSP they saw a man who appeared to be Barnard leaving a McDonald’s in Raymond headed toward Aberdeen on State Route 101. The witness reported seeing Barnard in what looked like a dark blue, 2-door Audi sports car with tinted windows and a spoiler. He was with a white woman, the witness reported. Federal, state and local authorities are all trying to take Barnard into custody. Those who think they have seen Barnard are asked to call 911.