Pastor at Tulsa Church Embroiled in Child Porn Investigation Speaks out

By Ethan Hutchins
KTUL
April 1, 2017

http://ktul.com/news/local/pastor-at-tulsa-church-embroiled-in-child-porn-investigation-speaks-out

A pastor at a Tulsa church where a principal has been arrested for child porn is speaking out about the investigation.

An investigation that rocked two Tulsa communities after a pastor and the principal of a separate church were arrested.

TBoth churches dealing with the unthinkable this week.

“We have tried the best we can to eliminate all variables beyond human will," said Pastor Jim Thornton.

Thornton is the pastor at Tulsa Hills Church of the Nazarene.

His church principal Jeffrey Goss was arrested this week after an undercover agent spotted him in a chat room viewing child porn.

“There has never been anything like this in this church," said Thornton.

Goss and Ronald Robinson, a minister at Third Place Community Foundation in north Tulsa were taken into custody following a nearly two-year investigation by Homeland Security.

Robinson reportedly admitted to fantasizing about raping and hurting children.

“Both of these alleged situations are people who are prominent, have relationships with people, people rely on them, depend on them, trust them," said Christine Marsh, Director of Child Abuse, for Family and Children's Services.

She believes now is the time for the families connected to these situations to talk about how to move on.

“We start questioning a lot of things like who were involved with, and what is real with all of the connections that we have," said Marsh.

Meanwhile, Pastor Thornton says he had no knowledge of Goss’s past.

He says right now it's a time for his church family to grieve.

He says Goss is not longer employed by the church.

He says it's too early to tell if or when the church will find a replacement for Goss.

“The Goss family is hurting, this church body and the Christian Education Alliance is hurting," said Thornton.

Marsh says for both these adults to allegedly act out in this sexual behavior, it may be caused from something taking place during their childhood.

Thornton says there are 85 homeschooled students enrolled from first grade through high school.