Tacoma Church Volunteer Charged with Raping Girl He Met at Youth Camp

By Stacia Glenn
News Tribune
December 31, 2015

http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/crime/article52281445.html

Adam Parks enters Pierce County Superior Court on Wednesday afternoon. He is charged with third-degree child rape. KIRO-TV KIRO-TV

A 20-year-old man who works at a Tacoma middle school and volunteers as a Youth for Christ pastor pleaded not guilty Wednesday to molesting a 14-year-old girl he met at youth camp.

Adam Parks is charged with four counts of third-degree child rape. He pleaded not guilty and bail was set at $100,000.

The abuse is alleged to have taken place from March to December in a church office, art camp and Parks’ car.

Parks was a lunchtime supervisor at Gray Middle School, head of security at Zion River Church and a volunteer for Youth for Christ, records show.

He met the teen two years ago. A pastor recently reported the alleged relationship to Child Protective Services after the girl confided in the pastor.

The teen “said they started texting each other after her grandmother died and he would help her by talking to her about how she felt,” according to charging papers.

She told detectives there were about two dozen sexual interactions and she would arrive to youth group meetings early so she and Parks could hug and touch.

Police said Parks admitted to exchanging naked photos with the girl and inappropriately touching her.

He is now on administrative leave from Tacoma Public Schools.

Contact: sglenn@thenewstribune.com