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Pastor Who Attempted Exorcism On Toddler Allegedly Smoked Meth In Church With His Parishioners
Lloyd Lasker was brought in for questioning after the child he was said to have performed an exorcism was found covered in bruises.
An Arkansas pastor who performed an exorcism on a toddler found covered in bruises has allegedly confessed to smoking meth with parishioners in his own church.
Pastor Lloyd Lasker, 49, was found at his church on Sept. 18 with a woman and her 21-month-old son after authorities were asked to complete a welfare check on the young child, according to an affidavit for a search warrant uploaded by the Faulkner County circuit court. The mother told authorities that her son, who was “life threateningly emaciated” and covered “head to toe” in bruises, was possessed by a demon. The child is now in the ICU suffering from a brain bleed and malnourishment.
Later that week, investigators on the case brought Lasker in for questioning about the alleged child abuse case. He told them that he had "tried to exorcise the demon in [the child] but he would not explain how he did this,” according to the affidavit.
Healthcare workers later determined that the toddler’s bruises had likely been caused earlier that day, the affidavit stated.
While questioning Lasker, officers noticed a small baggie of white powder in the car door panel, according to an incident report acquired by Oxygen.com. When asked about the powder, Lasker allegedly admitted to using meth in his church “several times,” according to the affidavit. He also allegedly confessed to using the drug with the mother of the abused child, along with “many other members of the church.”
When asked whether he had anything illegal at his house, Lasker allegedly told police there was a shotgun “that he had removed from the church,” according to the incident report. Lasker was a convicted felon, which made this illegal.
The pastor was arrested and charged with felony counts of possessing meth, possessing drug paraphernalia, and possessing a firearm while being a convicted felon, according to the incident report.
Lasker had previously pled guilty to possessing methamphetamine in December 2019 – a conviction he was still on probation for at the time of his September arrest, according to court documents uploaded by the Pulaski County circuit court.
Lasker has been a pastor at his church, the House of Refuge and Deliverance, for the past 15 years, according to his LinkedIn.
It’s not clear whether Lasker has an attorney who can comment on his behalf. His next appearance
