George Feigley

George Feigley (June 23, 1940 – April 13, 2009) was an American church leader. He has been described as a sex cult leader. Feigley called himself "The Light of the World,", a phrase previously used in the self-description of Jesus. Feigley served over 32 years in prison for sex crimes against children, from 1975 to 2008.

In 1971, Feigley founded both a "Neo-American" church and a school in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. His church doctrine emphasized the transcendent or mystical power of orgasm, and reportedly advocated the use of children for sexual gratification. Feigley wrote a book entitled The Sale of Lillian, which described the sexual abuse of a 10-year-old girl, and contained graphic illustrations of such abuse. These included a book entitled The Sale of Lillian, which described the sexual abuse of a 10-year-old girl, and contained graphic illustrations of such abuse.

The charismatic Feigley, who called himself "The Light of the World", gathered a small group of followers, mostly women, into his church. As of 1983, the group, which at one point had numbered over twenty persons, included about ten adults, one or two of whom were men (five children of group members were then living in foster homes where they had been placed by the state).

Imprisonment, escape, and re-capture Feigley led the church in freedom for only about five years, as he was arrested in 1975 on multiple counts of statutory rape, indecent assault, and corrupting the morals of minors. He was found guilty of statutory rape of two teenage girls and was sentenced to 10 years to 20 years in prison. His wife was found guilty of corrupting the morals of minors.

Notwithstanding his imprisonment, some of Feigley's followers remained loyal, roaming to follow him as he was moved from prison to prison or when he was a fugitive.

In 1976, Feigley scaled a prison wall at SCI- Rockview and fled to West Virginia. While he was on the lam he hid at a farm near Thornton, West Virginia, which he and his followers referred to as the "Aaron Farm". He was apprehended in 1978, but escaped from the Taylor County Jail in Grafton less than a month later while awaiting extradition back to Pennsylvania. He was assisted in this escape by fellow prisoner James Lee Gilbert, who joined the cult after engineering the escape.

In 1981, plans for Feigley to escape from SCI- Graterford by helicopter were uncovered. In response Feigley was transferred to Western Penitentiary. However, in addition to this advocacy for prisoners, the site was also used to publish some of Feigley's rationalizations for his crimes. As of April 2019, the website is defunct.

Release Feigley became eligible for parole in 1990, but parole was denied then and at each subsequent annual review. Having served the full time for all his convictions, Feigley was released from prison on August 15, 2008, to some consternation. His convictions were not covered under Pennsylvania's Megan's Laws (his 1976 conviction preceded Megan's Law, and conspiracy to commit involuntary deviate sexual intercourse — his 1994 charge — is not covered under the law), so he was not required to register as a sex offender, nor was he on parole as he had served his sentences in full.

His return home was met with a crowd of protestors. A neighbor circulated a petition to prevent Feigley's return to his home.

Death Feigley, who left prison in poor health, died on April 13, 2009.