An Associated Press article is beginning to circulate at
http://www.wfmynews2.com/news/local_state/local_article.aspx?storyid=38304
and elsewhere regarding 10 year old Joshua Heldreth and his father, Scott Heldreth. Heldreth is a longtime Operation Rescue/Operation Save America participant as is clear from a simple Google search and any claim that his son induced him to come to Pinellas where many other OR/OSA people and their leadership were present is clearly bogus.
Further, Scott Heldreth is a registered sex offender in the state of Florida, marked as "absconded from registration," according to this FDLE flyer:
http://www3.fdle.state.fl.us/sexual_predators/OffenderFlyer.asp?keys=38964
Update [2005-3-28 3:24:21 by thoughtcriminal]:
The Charlotte Observer reported on Sunday 3/27 that Heldreth spent several months in jail in 1992 awaiting trial on rape and kidnapping charges. He pled guilty to sexual battery and served time on probation. Apparently he does not appear in the North Carolina sex offender database as that registration is required only for those who were convicted on or after Jan. 1, 1996.
http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/news/11241595.htm
Heldreth's 'testimony' appeared on the now-defunct website of an Operation Save America local group in Florida. He claims to have converted while in prison.
Google cache of http://www.osasrq.com/testimonies.html
Update [2005-3-30 2:31:50 by thoughtcriminal]:
See the Ohio University Post article reporting on Heldreth's 1992 arrest.
Heldreth's FDLE sex offender flyer has been changed, his status has been changed from "Absconded from Registration" to "Released."