Latest news with #DrendaKeesee
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Son of New Albany church leaders pleads not guilty to new rape charges
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The son of a New Albany church's leaders pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to additional charges including rape, according to court documents. Gary Keesee Jr., the son of Faith Life Church senior pastors Gary and Drenda Keesee, pleaded not guilty to charges contained in a superseding indictment that was filed in May. He previously pleaded not guilty to the original charges in April. Watch previous coverage in the player above. Keesee Jr.'s previously issued $2 million bond with no 10% provision was continued, according to the documents. He must deposit $5,000 to the Clerk's office for a GPS monitoring device before he can leave jail, and is not allowed to have contact with the alleged victims. He must also surrender his driver's license and passport. A rare COVID-19 strain disappeared overnight. We still don't know which Ohioan had it On April 21, Keesee Jr., 36, was indicted on 11 counts of rape, 11 counts of gross sexual imposition and five counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. Keesee Jr., a former member of the church staff, was arrested 10 days prior in Johnstown by deputies with the Licking County Sheriff's Office. At the time of his arrest, he was charged with two counts of rape out of Mount Vernon Municipal Court. The date range for the charges spans from 2001 to 2012 with a Licking County prosecutor saying the ages of the victims ranged from 6 to 15 at the time of the alleged offenses. The superseding indictment lists the 32 total allegations along with the following date ranges: Dates Charge (counts) Nov. 2001-May 2004 Rape (5) Nov. 2001-May 2004 Gross sexual imposition (5) Oct. 2002 – Nov. 2006 Rape (5) Oct. 2002 – Nov. 2006 Gross sexual imposition (3) Dec. 2004 – Nov. 2006 Gross sexual imposition (1) Nov. 2006 – Oct. 2008 Rape (1) Nov. 2006 – Oct. 2008 Gross sexual imposition (2) Oct. 2008 – Oct. 2011 Unlawful sexual conduct with minor (5) June 2008 – June 2012 Rape (2) June 2008 – June 2012 Gross sexual imposition (3) In February, the Knox County Sheriff's Office asked the Licking County Sheriff's Office to investigate the church for allegations of sexual abuse of minors because Drenda Keesee serves as a Knox County commissioner. Ohioans can soon buy over twice as much nonmedical marijuana Drenda Keesee has also published several books, including one titled 'They Are Coming For Your Children,' which is described as 'a wake-up call to parents and the nation to confront and combat what is nothing less than every offensive evil that hell can unleash against the children of this generation. From transgenderism, to critical race theory to sex-trafficking, satan is bent on destroying this generation because they are destined to bring in worldwide revival and usher in the return of Jesus Christ.' Keesee Jr.'s jury trial is expected to begin on July 1, according to the Knox County Clerk's office. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ohio AG's office reviewed Faith Life Church's management, financial practices in 2022
Three years before a criminal investigation into allegations of sexual abuse of minors by former youth leaders at New Albany's Faith Life Church, the state investigated the church's leadership and financial controls. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost in early February recused himself and his office's Bureau of Criminal Investigation from this year's investigation because he said he's friends with church founders Gary and Drenda Keesee, whose son, Tom Keesee, and another former church youth leader have been accused of the abuse. But he didn't have to do the same in 2022, when his office's charitable law section investigated the financial allegations because he said he didn't know the Keesees then. While Yost has not said how well he knows the Keesees, other than they have been to his home for dinner, he said Friday through a spokesperson that "he did not know the individuals until last year, so there was no potential for a conflict during the review by the charitable law section." Yost, who is running for governor in 2026, stated in a Feb. 1 response to a petition that because of his connection to the Keesees, his office could not investigate the abuse allegations. "Either way, the credibility of the investigation would have been called into question — either by my critics who would claim my friendship prevented a thorough investigation, or by defense counsel at trial, who would try to claim that I am overreacting and targeting his client to prove my integrity for political purposes." The Knox County Sheriff's office previously recused itself after Drenda Keesee took office Jan. 1 as a Knox County Commissioner. Prompted by a whistleblower tip, Yost's charitable law section focused on church solicitations, collections and expenditures connected to The Journey Campaign, Faith Life efforts to reach a wider audience though financial giving, according to the church's website. One of Faith Life's core tenets is 'Embracing faith, family and financial restoration through the power of Jesus Christ,' according to its website. Some critics and former church members have said the church is overly focused on "sewing seeds," as a way to donate in exchange for rewards and healing. They describe the approach as the "prosperity gospel" and question how church donations and tithing are spent. The Dispatch previously reported that pastors Gary and Drenda Keesee operate several businesses, have book deals, appear on religious television programs and own a private plane. Critics say sermons focus more on the Keesees than on the gospel message. According to an April 11, 2022, letter informing the church the state had finished its investigation, Assistant Attorney General William Sieck said the church's management and the Keesees' consolidation of power raised red flags. Sieck wrote that the church lacked oversight by independent directors or congregation members. Church bylaws, he wrote, gave Gary Keesee "near total control over board composition and an insurmountable veto over all board decisions." According to the letter, the church bylaws at the time also stated that if Gary Keesee died, Drenda Keesee would succeed him and get paid twice his salary of "several hundred thousand dollars" a year in "widow's compensation." Sieck said those details did not violate Ohio charitable laws but called them "unusual and concerning," noting that "undisclosed control is fertile soil, at minimum, for mistrust," according to the letter. Sieck also included the Bible verse John 3:19-20: "For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed," to show how good governance and transparency are not only good business practices but also consistent with church doctrine. The letter commended the church for improving some practices, including disclosing unrestricted donations, hiring a CPA firm to review its financial records and hiring a new controller. He recommended the church take the following actions: Use a local CPA instead of Guinn Smith & Co., which is based in Texas. Hold at least one meeting a year to discuss church governance and finances that would be open to all church members. Seek certification from the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. As of Friday, an online database of council members did not include Faith Life. Amend church bylaws to add two board members to represent the congregation. Sent from Yost, and signed by Sieck, the letter concludes that charitable organizations and boards must be devoid of conflicts of interest "to avoid transactions that unfairly enrich the charity's leaders." In response to The Dispatch's questions Friday about the letter, Faith Life attorney Katie Taber in a statement: "The church carefully evaluated each recommendation and implemented changes where needed to further strengthen its policies and procedures." While she was not specific, Taber told The Dispatch that the church board comprises a "well-rounded group of professionals who bring both expertise in their respective fields and a strong faith-based understanding of scripture and the Kingdom principles taught and practiced by the church." She also said Faith Life "engages an independent accounting firm and conducts annual audits," as it has done for "many years, to ensure that the church is operating at the highest level of financial integrity" and "remains committed to ongoing improvement and best practices. "Faith Life Church takes stewardship seriously and will continue working diligently to manage its resources with wisdom and integrity." dnarciso@ This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio AG's office investigated Faith Life Church's finances in 2022
