Tri-State pastor pleads guilty to sex charges involving teens

WILMINGTON (OH)
WKRC-TV, CBS-12 [Cincinnati OH]

April 20, 2026

By WKRC

A Clinton County pastor pleaded guilty to four of the 12 charges against him involving sex with a minor.

Silas Shelton, 49, pleaded guilty to unlawful sexual conduct and menacing by stalking charges.

In exchange, rape, gross sexual imposition and arson charges were dropped.

Shelton was listed online as the pastor of Blanchester Community Ministries on Main St. in Wilmington.

Some of the counts involved sex abuse of a teen stemming from incidents in 2019.

Shelton is also charged with having sex with a minor who was a member of his congregation in 2022.

In both cases, the minor was under the age of 16, according to court papers.