Pastor Accused of Sexually Assaulting Child Was Booted From Church Months Ago: UPDATE

TEXAS
Patch

By REBEKAH MARCARELLI (Patch Staff)
December 9, 2015

EAST AUSTIN, TX — A pastor from East Austin’s First Baptist Church was arrested Tuesday for committing sexual acts with a minor female church member in Round Rock and other locations, and new information suggests he had been voted out of the church months before.

The church congregation of First Baptist Church on Heflin Lane is reported to have voted out Henry Lee McGee, 68, of Round Rock, back in the fall, the American-Statesman reported. This occurred only shortly after the church held a special service celebrating McGee and his wife’s 17th wedding anniversary in September. The pastor‘s name has reportedly been covered by black duct tape on the church’s front sign.

The incidents of abuse were first reported to Austin police by the victim’s parents. The reports suggest McGee had been in a sexual relationship with the young member of his church for about a year, since the victim had been 13-years-old.

The victim told police the first encounter occurred in a storage unit in Georgetown in June 2014, and the abuse continued at the man’s home while his wife was away. The last time the victim and pastor met was reportedly at a hotel in Round Rock on October 9. The victim said she had sex with McGee over 15 times, and some of the incidents occurred in the pastor’s church office.

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