COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A 36-year-old man who is the son of New Albany church leaders was arrested Friday and charged with two counts of rape.
Gary Keesee Jr., the son of Faith Life Church's senior pastors Gary and Drenda Keesee, with the latter also serving as a Knox County Commissioner, was taken into custody by the Licking County Sheriff's Office at his Johnstown residence after an arrest warrant was obtained.
He has been charged with two counts of rape and will be held in the Licking County Justice Center in Newark.
Courtesy Photo - Licking County Sheriff's OfficeThe Knox County Sheriff's Office requested in February that the Licking County Sheriff's Office investigate the church for allegations of sexual abuse of minors. Records obtained by NBC4 show there are dozens of potential victims and witnesses with the alleged abuse dating back decades.
Keesee Jr., who refers to himself as Tom, was previously on staff with the church.
"I think the whole community has a right to be angry that there's a church that we've brought our families to, that we allowed our kids to go to homeschool community to, and come to find out that they weren't safe," says former Faith Life Church member Eric Vennon.
When Vennon learned the news that Keesee Jr. was arrested, he had mixed emotions. Vennon said he felt relieved but also angry because this was a church where he used to take his children.
"I mean, these girls, many of them have been dealing with this for decades in some instances, and it's about time someone took them seriously," Vennon said.
A law firm representing Faith Life Church provided a statement.
"The complaint alleges incidents that occurred approximately two decades ago that in no way involved Faith Life Church," the statement reads. "The allegations have been investigated by the Licking County Sheriff's Office, and Faith Life Church has cooperated fully with the investigation."
Keesee Jr. will appear in Knox County court in Mount Vernon on Monday, where a grand jury will determine if he should face more charges.
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