San Diego

Cult deprogrammer Ted Patrick was accused Thursday of accepting $3,900 to deprogram a woman’s 22-year-old daughter in violation of terms of his probation.

Laverne (Dolly) Edwards of Lubbock, Tex., told San Diego Superior Court Judge Norbert Ehrenfreund at the probation revocation hearing that she sent the money under the name of “Apple Pie” to a residence in San Diego.

She said Patrick later told her he received the money and he met with her in Lubbock in October.

“He asked me if I could find a lake house, a farm house. I told him I would try,” Edwards said.

“He (later) said he had a place in Houston where we could do the deprogramming. I said yes, anything, to get Kelly (her daughter) out . . . He had me tape her telephone conversations. I brought him a diamond ring that he would try to sell (for the fee).”

If the judge finds Patrick in violation of his 1980 grant of probation, he could be sent to prison. Patrick was placed on probation under strict guidelines that forbid him from deprogramming or accepting money for such practices.

She said she changed her mind about having her daughter deprogrammed, but Patrick returned only $800.

“He explained that deprogramming was just a matter of talking to the person. There was no violence. He said it might work out in my apartment and save me a lot of money. He said the windows would be nailed shut, with furniture in front of the door,” Edwards said.

Patrick is expected to testify today.