By Nathan Duke
A longtime pastor for a Bayside church who had been arrested on rape charges in November has now been accused of assaulting a minor at his Connecticut home in another incident, according to that state’s court records.
Phillip Joubert, 48, of Norwalk, Conn., was arrested Dec. 31 and charged with assault and risk of injury to a child, which is a felony, according to online records from Connecticut’s Judicial Branch. The defendant, whose bail was set at a $5,000 bond, will return to court Jan. 13, court records show.
The alleged assault took place Nov. 14 at the pastor’s home, according to court records.
Joubert, who has been pastor for Bayside’s Community Baptist Church for years, will return to Queens Criminal Court Jan. 8 on first- and second-degree rape charges, a spokeswoman for Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said.
He had been arraigned Nov. 25 before Judge Lenora Gerald on those charges following two alleged rape incidents involving an underage girl that took place between July 25 and Aug. 2, the spokeswoman said.
A law enforcement source said Joubert had been arrested in late November on the rape charge at an unspecified Queens airport after returning from an overseas trip. If convicted, he could face up to 25 years in prison in the Queens case, the DA’s spokeswoman said.
Joubert is listed as the pastor on a sign in front of Community Baptist Church, at 46-19 206th St. in Bayside. He is also listed as pastor on the Web site of Norwalk’s New Light Missionary Baptist Church.
Philip Russell, Joubert’s lawyer, could not be reached at his Connecticut office.
Neighbors of the Queens church along 206th Street said in November that they were aware of the pastor’s arrest, but did not want to be identified.
Reach reporter Nathan Duke by e-mail at nduke@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 156.
