Youth pastor fired from church following allegations of ‘indecent assault' of teen

FAYETTE COUNTY, Pa. — A youth pastor was fired over the weekend following allegations of indecent assault of a teen.

According to the First Baptist Church of Fairchance, the alleged incident took place during a ministry trip.

Channel 11's Melanie Gillespie spoke with the mother of the alleged victim, who believed the incident was premeditated.

Church officials told Channel 11 that the former youth pastor had been with the church for two-and-a-half years.

"I don't want this impropriety  to cast a shadow on our church. We've tried to grow our congregation and bring the you into our church," said Judy Pupek of First Baptist Church.

The pastor of First Baptist Church announced to his congregation that the youth pastor, who has not been formally charged with a crime, was relieved of his duties during a church procession on Sunday morning.

Channel 11 was told that the church alerted security when they learned of the alleged assault. The pastor took his wife and four teens to a Christian festival in Huntingdon County last week.

According to the victim's mother, she found out that her daughter went "missing" one night while at the festival.

The mother said the girl allegedly resurfaced from the woods with the youth pastor following behind her.

The pastor was fired on Saturday morning, he has since been told to move out of his parsonage house on church property.

The victim's mother is hoping charges will be filed in the next week or so. The youth pastor declined comment to Channel 11.

Cox Media Group