BLANCHESTER (OH)
WLWT - NBC 5 [Cincinnati OH]
October 17, 2025
By Todd Dykes
Silas Shelton, a 48-year-old pastor in Blanchester, Ohio, is now an inmate at the Clinton County Adult Detention Center and facing four felony charges, including rape, after police say he began abusing a then-teenage girl six years ago.
Before he was arrested without incident in Blanchester on Wednesday, Shelton served as the pastor of Blanchester Community Church. Wilmington police reported that in the fall of 2019, Shelton allegedly began inappropriate sexual contact with a girl who was 14 or 15 at the time. A detective involved in the case stated that the alleged victim and her family were members of Shelton’s congregation.
WLWT’s Todd Dykes’ attempts to reach someone at the church, located next to fast-food restaurants on Main Street in Blanchester, were unsuccessful, as no one answered the door.
The detective leading the investigation said in a probable cause statement that the alleged abuse continued until a few months ago. The detective described a complex dynamic, suggesting the young woman felt groomed, trapped and manipulated due to Shelton’s position as a religious authority.
The Wilmington Police Department’s social media post about Shelton’s arrest has sparked shock, sadness and outrage among commenters. The detective indicated that the alleged abuse occurred at Shelton’s home in Morrow, Warren County, at Cowan Lake in Clinton County, and in local hotel rooms. Shelton is scheduled for a preliminary court hearing next week.
The police investigation into the incident remains ongoing. Anyone with information related to the case is asked to contact police at 937-382-3833.