A 26-year-old teacher and children’s volunteer at a Baptist Church in Little Rock, Arkansas, has been accused of sexually abusing a 15-year-old boy.
The church, which has historical ties to former President Bill Clinton, became the scene of alleged misconduct that began in the fall of 2020.
The alleged perpetrator, Reagan Gray, is reported to have regularly sent the minor naked pictures after expressing interest in him.
When the teen’s parents discovered suggestive text messages on their son’s phone, the church initially sent Gray for counseling, only for her to quickly go back to grooming the teenage boy.
Authorities learned that Gray met the teen in her car and at her apartment in Monticello until May of 2021.
The victim, who also participated in the church’s student ministry, told investigators he was unsure if he had sent naked images in response to Gray’s continuous requests.
“I don’t have explicit memory of doing that but, with how often she requested it, it probably did happen,” he stated.
Gray, who was employed at Little Rock Christian Academy during the time of the allegations, had acquired the boy’s phone number through a group chat related to the church’s music program.
Upon learning of the situation, the teen’s parents confronted Gray and alerted Steven Smith, the head pastor.
Smith confronted Gray, suspending her from student ministry activities, despite her assertions that the relationship was non-sexual.
However, the church did not inform the police and appointed Smith’s wife, Ashley, as Gray’s “accountability partner.”
According to the Daily Mail, the abuse allegedly resumed after Gray’s return from counseling, shifting communication with the boy to Snapchat.
However, it wasn’t until a later counseling session with Smith that Gray admitted the relationship had been sexual and had continued post-suspension.
The authorities became involved following these revelations, and the boy disclosed to federal investigators that he and Gray had engaged in sexual activities between five-to-ten times during the fall of 2020.
According to police records, Gray performed oral sex on the teenager, stating it was to help him “stay pure.”
Gray was later employed at Sylvan Hills Middle School in Sherwood, but was suspended by the Pulaski County Special School District in February after they were made aware of the ongoing investigation.
She was charged with a single felony count of sexual assault involving a teenager from September 2020 to May 2021, and released on $20,000 bail after surrendering to Little Rock police.
Gray’s lawyer, John Ogles, stated that she denied the charges and expressed confidence in the judicial system to exonerate her.
Following these events, Smith resigned earlier this month. Interim executive pastor Mark Carter noted that the case had deeply affected the church community.
Carter revealed that Gray’s arrest was brought to the attention of the church’s newly formed “Caring Well Team,” tasked with assessing the situation and determining subsequent actions.
“We are grieved over this situation, hurting for the young man affected, and praying for all involved,” Carter stated.
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