Brother Tony Leyva
Encyclopedia
Mario Ivan "Tony" Leyva Jr., most commonly known as Brother Tony Leyva, (May 1946 - March 3, 2005) was a Pentecostal preacher and convicted pederast and child molester. His crimes are covered in Mike Echols
' book Brother Tony's Boys: The Largest Case of Child Prostitution in U.S. History: The True Story.
in May 1946. "Tony," as he came to be called, was a victim of child molestation himself. As publicly stated, he was molested once during kindergarten
and again when he was 14 on a baseball field
near his high school. As a child, he enjoyed visiting his grandparents in Flat Rock
, North Carolina, and came to live there in his late childhood. He became a Pentecostal preacher at age 17, and married his childhood sweetheart, Tammy Sue.
, with the promise of teaching them how to drive, but instead perform oral sex
on them, calling it "God's special way for his people to love each other." Brother Tony, as he came to be called, violated dozens of young boys in the area in this way.
and traveled across the South. He would invite young boys from both his home town and towns along his travels to come with him, promising to teach them the ways of the Bible
. The boys would earn their way by setting up lights, playing music, or driving tent trucks for Tony's revival tent. Then, during the night at his motel room in that city, he would molest the boys. The boys' parents were often deceived by Tony's charm, and the boys who were victimized never spoke out of embarrassment. Those who did speak out were often hushed up by disbelief.
' book Brother Tony's Boys: The Largest Case of Child Prostitution in U.S. History: The True Story.
Embassy in Port-au-Prince
. He was later deported back to the United States.
. The state medical examiner's office determined he had metastatic melanoma
, a form of skin cancer.
Mike Echols
Walter Harlan "Mike" Echols was an American author who wrote several books, mainly dealing with child sexual abuse...
' book Brother Tony's Boys: The Largest Case of Child Prostitution in U.S. History: The True Story.
Biography
Mario Ivan Leyva, Jr. was born in Fletcher, North CarolinaNorth Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
in May 1946. "Tony," as he came to be called, was a victim of child molestation himself. As publicly stated, he was molested once during kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
and again when he was 14 on a baseball field
Baseball field
A baseball field, also called a ball field or a baseball diamond, is the field upon which the game of baseball is played. The terms "baseball field" and "ball field" are also often used as synonyms for ballpark.-Specifications:...
near his high school. As a child, he enjoyed visiting his grandparents in Flat Rock
Flat Rock, Henderson County, North Carolina
Flat Rock is a village in Henderson County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 2,565 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area. The village is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Flat Rock Historic District.- Culture :Flat Rock is...
, North Carolina, and came to live there in his late childhood. He became a Pentecostal preacher at age 17, and married his childhood sweetheart, Tammy Sue.
Beginnings of Pederasty
During his teen years and early adult years as a Pentecostal preacher, he found himself attracted to younger boys in his church congregation. He would lure boys aged 10 to 14 years to the back roads of Henderson County, North CarolinaHenderson County, North Carolina
Henderson County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is part of the Asheville, North Carolina, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2008, the population was 102,367. Its county seat is Hendersonville.- History :...
, with the promise of teaching them how to drive, but instead perform oral sex
Oral sex
Oral sex is sexual activity involving the stimulation of the genitalia of a sex partner by the use of the mouth, tongue, teeth or throat. Cunnilingus refers to oral sex performed on females while fellatio refer to oral sex performed on males. Anilingus refers to oral stimulation of a person's anus...
on them, calling it "God's special way for his people to love each other." Brother Tony, as he came to be called, violated dozens of young boys in the area in this way.
Tony's Boys
During the later 1960s and early 1970s, Tony turned his attention to religious revivalsRevival meeting
A revival meeting is a series of Christian religious services held in order to inspire active members of a church body, to raise funds and to gain new converts...
and traveled across the South. He would invite young boys from both his home town and towns along his travels to come with him, promising to teach them the ways of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
. The boys would earn their way by setting up lights, playing music, or driving tent trucks for Tony's revival tent. Then, during the night at his motel room in that city, he would molest the boys. The boys' parents were often deceived by Tony's charm, and the boys who were victimized never spoke out of embarrassment. Those who did speak out were often hushed up by disbelief.
The Book
Leyva's conquests as an evangelist / molester are recorded in Mike EcholsMike Echols
Walter Harlan "Mike" Echols was an American author who wrote several books, mainly dealing with child sexual abuse...
' book Brother Tony's Boys: The Largest Case of Child Prostitution in U.S. History: The True Story.
Arrest
Brother Tony, along with several other known pederasts, was arrested in 1988 several times on child molestation, sodomy, and interstate transport of minors charges.Life after Release
After Leyva was released from prison in 2002, he apparently fled to Haiti using forged papers. In August 2003 he was caught and held at the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Embassy in Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince is the capital and largest city of the Caribbean nation of Haiti. The city's population was 704,776 as of the 2003 census, and was officially estimated to have reached 897,859 in 2009....
. He was later deported back to the United States.
Death
Leyva died from skin cancer on March 3, 2005, in the infirmary of Powhatan Correctional Center in VirginiaVirginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. The state medical examiner's office determined he had metastatic melanoma
Melanoma
Melanoma is a malignant tumor of melanocytes. Melanocytes are cells that produce the dark pigment, melanin, which is responsible for the color of skin. They predominantly occur in skin, but are also found in other parts of the body, including the bowel and the eye...
, a form of skin cancer.