Former Renton youth pastor faces charge after he allegedly molested 13-year-old

A former Renton youth pastor is facing a charge of allegedly molesting a 13-year-old and is accused of spying on a 17-year-old.

The former youth pastor at Highlands Community Church could be charged with child molestation in the second degree, according to Thurston County court documents.

The youth pastor was arrested Wednesday evening on suspicion of second-degree child molestation and first-degree voyeurism, the Renton Police Department (RPD) reported.

Both incidents took place during church functions in Thurston County, according to police.

“The molestation charge involves an incident in April 2015 when the victim was 13 years old,” RPD stated. “The voyeurism charge stems from a separate incident in February 2019 when the victim was 17 years old.”

Renton police were contacted by a victim in March 2021, who told officers they were molested around 2008. The victim told officers they believed other members of the church were also victimized. That case was later determined to have taken place in Chelan County. It was then reopened in August 2024 and posted on local news outlets.

Former Renton youth pastor allegedly molested victim at Great Wolf Lodge in 2015

In March 2025, a father contacted a detective and said his son had recently disclosed that he had been molested by the former youth pastor. The victim said the molestation took place at Great Wolf Lodge in Centralia in 2015, according to court documents.

The victim said that while he was playing in the wave pool, he was approached by the former youth pastor, who asked him to follow him to a changing room and locked the door.

The former youth pastor allegedly told the victim to take his clothes off, and then removed the victim’s trunks. The victim said the former youth pastor yanked on his private parts and slapped his bottom.

The former youth pastor then allegedly picked up the victim by his ankles and held him upside down. The victim said he was off the ground with his head by the former youth pastor’s feet.

The victim said he asked for his swim trunks back, and the former youth pastor responded that he was looking for zits. The victim said he was terrified and wanted to cry.

The victim told officers he didn’t fight back because he feared the former youth pastor.

The former youth pastor then allegedly threatened him by saying he’d “pay the price” if the victim told anyone. The victim told officers he thought this meant the former youth pastor was going to kill him, so he held the secret for 10 years.

RPD said detectives believe there may be additional victims. Anyone with information related to the case is urged to contact Det. Scott Barfield at sbarfield@rentonwa.gov.

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