TULSA (OK)
KNWA [Rogers AR]
January 13, 2026
By Kyler Swaim
A former youth pastor who made stops at multiple churches in Oklahoma, Arkansas and other states pleaded not guilty to child sex crimes in court on Monday.
Joseph Lyle Campbell, 68, of Elkland, Mo., was arrested by the U.S. Marshals in Webster County on Dec. 17. He was listed in the Greene County Detention Center in Springfield, Mo., as a “fugitive from out of state.”
A multi-county grand jury in Oklahoma indicted Campbell on one count of first-degree rape and one count of lewd or indecent acts to a child under 16. The alleged crime occurred in 1984 when Campbell was the youth pastor at the Eastland Assembly of God Church in Tulsa.
The indictment said that between May 1 and Oct. 1, 1984, Campbell allegedly raped a young girl in the garage of his home. He is also accused of sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl at the church between March 1 and Dec. 1 of that year.
Campbell appeared in Tulsa County court on Jan. 12 for his arraignment. A note from Judge Shannon Taylor said that Campbell waived the reading of information and further time to plead. He pleaded not guilty to both charges, the note said.
Investigation details Campbell’s alleged crimes
An NBC News investigation released in May detailed Campbell’s alleged crimes.
The investigation showed that after Campbell worked in Tulsa, he spent around a year at the First Assembly of God in Siloam Springs, Ark., now called The Assembly.
A woman told NBC News that while Campbell was in Siloam Springs, he took her in at age 14 and raped her repeatedly.
Over the next two decades, Campbell worked at churches in Baton Rouge, La., and Versailles and Marshfield in Missouri.
NBC News reported that while in Marshfield, the Webster County Sheriff’s Office twice looked into rumors of sexual misconduct, but no charges were filed.
Most recently, Oklahoma authorities say Campbell has been a pastor in Blue Eye, Mo.
The Siloam Springs Police Department tells KNWA/FOX24 that it could not find any complaints or reports filed against Campbell during his time in the town.
KNWA/FOX24 also previously reached out to The Assembly for comment, and lead pastor Gary Wheat gave the following statement:
“Like many churches, we take the safety of our children and our congregation very seriously. We have clear protocols and guidelines for those who serve in ministry, including background checks for all volunteers who work with minors. In addition, we have a trained safety team whose role is to help ensure that everyone who comes to our church feels safe, welcomed, and cared for.”
Arkansas state and federal court records do not show any open criminal cases against Campbell as of January 13.
Campbell released on bond
Oklahoma court records show that Campbell was released on a $150,000 bond following his arraignment on Jan. 12.
Several bond conditions were revealed in court notes for Campbell:
- Campbell is allowed to attend church with the permission of church leadership
- Campbell is allowed to reside at his listed address, and law enforcement has permission to verify that no children are present on the property
- Campbell may not be in contact with minor children without parents or guardians physically present
- Campbell must remain 100 feet away from parks, daycares or facilities primarily catered to children
- Campbell must have no direct or indirect contact with either alleged victim in the Tulsa County case or propensity witnesses
- Campbell must surrender his passport to counsel
- Campbell is ordered to wear a GPS monitor after release
If convicted of his charges, Campbell could face up to life in prison.
His next court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 2 in Tulsa.