Arizona megachurch pastor Les Hughey has responded to allegations of sexual abuse brought against him by four women. In an announcement made on Sunday, the pastor admitted that his actions amounted to sin, and church members were told that he has decided to take leave from his position at Highlands Church amid the scandal.
In a statement, the pastor confessed that he had sexual relations with women outside of his marriage four decades ago as a married youth pastor. However, he also said that the relationships were consensual.
"I was unfaithful to my God, my wife, and the ministry, and was rightly removed from that church," the statement read. "I engaged in consensual relations with fellow college-aged staff. With God's help, my wife's forgiveness, and discipline and counseling from church authority, I sincerely repented and we put our lives back in order."
The Modesto Bee first ran a sexual abuse report about Brad Tebbutt, another youth pastor from the First Baptist Church in Modesto last February. That story apparently encouraged Tracy Epler to speak up in another report from the same publication to accuse Hughey of coercing her into a sex act in the 1970s, when she was about 17 to 19 years old and he was 23.
Following Epler's revelation, three other women also told The Modesto Bee that they received body rubs during staff meetings at Hughey's home after his wife retired to the bedroom. At that time, Hughey was also serving at the First Baptist Church.
Jane Berryhill, now 62, described the moments with the pastor as subtle in the beginning, but said they eventually "became full back rubs, then closer to private parts."
One woman, who remains anonymous, claimed that she did not have sex with Hughey but that the intimacy of the body massages made her feel ashamed. She claimed that the pastor manipulated her because she was naive and vulnerable.
At that time, First Baptist parted ways with Hughey but did not tell church members the actual reason. In 1998, the pastor established the Highlands Church.
On Monday, three more women came forward with their allegations against Hughey. Juliet Buckner Pekaar, Carrie Fuller and Jennifer Lefforge shared similar experiences and scenarios where the pastor fondled and rubbed their legs, crotch and other body parts.
Highlands Church official Doug Milligan expressed concern regarding the developments, and said that it might take awhile to fully grasp the extent of the abuse.
Hughey has now been placed on leave by Highlands Church.
