Girl found, pastor arrested after sightings in East Tenn.

Girl found, pastor arrested after sightings in East Tenn.

April 18, 2006

SEVIER COUNTY (WATE) -- A 15-year-old New York girl and her minister are no longer on the run after they were spotted several times recently in East Tennessee.

Police say the girl was reunited with her family Tuesday morning and her former pastor, 54-year-old Lewis Lee, is in custody in Hagerstown, Maryland.

The pair were found after a tipster saw them at a Wal-mart. Officers caught up with the pair at Lee's work place.

Lee was previously arrested and charged for stalking and trespassing after being caught outside the girl's window.

The girl disappeared from her home in rural New York state on March 18. The pair were later spotted at Dollywood and in Pigeon Forge, Dickson and Kingsport. They also spent time in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Wyoming.

Police told 6 News earlier in April that Lee tried for years to get the girl to leave her family.

According to the Chenango County, New York Sheriff's Department, Lee told the girl she wasn't loved and with her beautiful voice, she could make it as a country singer.

Officials described the girl as naive, home schooled and from a strict Christian family who live on a working farm.

Lee waived extradition and is expected to be returned to New York state Wednesday to face an array of local and federal charges.

Three arrest warrants had been issued for Lee, including one charging him with a federal count of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.