Ordained minister accused of drugging, raping woman and child molestation arrested in Spokane

An ordained minister accused of drugging and raping a woman and molesting a child was arrested in Spokane Friday.

Russell Anders, 55, was arrested Friday morning at his home on the 1800 block of West Gardener Avenue in Spokane by a United States Marshals’ task force on an outstanding federal warrant.

Anders is charged with second-degree rape and first-degree voyeurism in Spokane.

On multiple occasions, a woman woke up after having drinks with Anders feeling off, according to court documents. She eventually was able to access his laptop and found videos of Anders having sex with her while she was unconscious after putting sleeping pills in her drinks, according to court records.

She also found sexually explicit videos of children on the laptop, she told police.

Anders was indicted last year in federal court in Seattle on one count of producing child pornography, along with possessing depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

He also has pending Seattle cases, including charges of child molestation and sexual exploitation of a minor, among other similar crimes.

It’s unclear whether Anders was actively working as a minister.