Mighty X Men former sex offenders: Leaders will talk about criminal pasts at Tuesday meeting

STERLING – Two men spearheading a new faith-based program for former inmates and their families are former sex offenders, one of whom is a registered sex offender.

City of God minister Gregorio Garcia and elder David Hines both plan to disclose their criminal pasts at a kickoff meeting Tuesday for the Mighty X Men program, the Rev. Larry Harts said Friday. The program is run by ex-offenders for ex-offenders.

Garcia is on the Illinois Department of Corrections Sex Offender Registry. Nineteen years ago, when he was 31, he was convicted in Winnebago County of aggravated criminal sexual assault of a 4-year-old. The length of his sentence and terms of his probation were unavailable late Friday.

Hines was convicted in 1999 of aggravated criminal sexual assault; the victim was between the ages of 13 and 16, and Hines was 32. He was sentenced to nearly 5 years’ probation. In 2000, he was convicted of felony driving without a license, and got another 30 months’ probation, according to Lee and Whiteside County electronic court records.

Garcia is a registered sex offender; Hines is not.

Harts said some members of the community have expressed concern about the two men’s involvement in the program, which includes transitional housing for men and support for their families.

In an article published in Sauk Valley Newspapers on Oct. 10, the two men laid out some of the program’s goals. Among them, Garcia said, was the eventual establishment of a shelter for women ex-offenders.

In a story published Oct. 12, the X Men founder, the Rev. Jonathan Byrd of Life Center in Rockford, said his program also includes classes for women and children.

Those statements raised red flags with some, given the ages of Hines and Garcia’s victims, and that women often come to shelters with children in tow.  

City of God’s Mighty X Men program will focus only on adult ex-offenders for the foreseeable future, Harts said, adding that encouragement for families and children will come through the church.

“Alcohol and drugs make people do things they would never consider doing otherwise,” Harts said. “People suffer for the rest of their lives for those foolish and careless acts. These men plan to use the testimony of their own experiences to help others take that second chance to break old patterns and start life anew.”