Raleigh man faces indecent liberties charges

The charges just don't sound right to musician Bruce James.

For more than three years, James has played music at Steve Conerly's Raleigh home-based home church.

Over the weekend, Conerly, 62, of 2509 Banks Road, was arrested on two counts of indecent liberties with a 12-year old girl.

Conerly remained at the Wake County jail Monday under a $50,000 bond.

"It is definitely not in the realm of belief,” James said. "They were good people."

Conerly is listed as the pastor of New Beginnings Fellowship on the church's website, which also said he previously led churches in Mississippi and Virginia.

According to LinkedIn, Conerly is listed as a licensed counselor for a company called Elite Therapeutic Services. The post says he holds a doctorate in spiritual counseling.

Both websites refer to Conerly's home address.

Raleigh police say the accused and the victim – who was related to one of Conerly's patient's – knew each other.

For James, the charges seem like a huge mistake. The man he knows is not capable of the alleged crimes.

"He is the same type of person he is away from the pulpit as he is behind the pulpit," he said. "I think we have all had that happen to us at some point or another in their life. Someone tries to make us look like something we are not."