Kenosha pastor accused, sent himself intimate photos of parishioner
KENOSHA, Wis. - A Kenosha pastor is accused of sending himself revealing photos of a parishioner without her consent.
Journey Church fired 41-year-old Gabriel Mills in light of the allegations he is now criminally charged with. Prosecutors said he swiped two nude photos from the phone of the parishioner's husband and transferred the photos to his own device.
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Court records said it happened in September as a group met at Mills' home. Police got a search warrant for his phone and found two nude or partially nude photos of the victim. The parishioner said she sent those photos to her husband six months earlier.
Investigators also listened to a jail phone call between Mills and his own wife. According to a criminal complaint:
Mills: "Two charges and I think it’s just the pictures of [victim] so, I don’t know, I just feel like they are doing this now because they are upset at this point."
Mills' wife: "what about the other ones?"
Mills: "I don't know."
Journey Church, Kenosha
Police said it is possible that other members of the Journey Church congregation, their affiliates, or other members of the community have been victimized. The investigation is ongoing and KPD encourages anyone with information to contact them at 262-605-5223.
FOX6 News wanted to get Mills' side of the story. No one answered at his home, and his attorney did not have a comment.
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Court records show Mills posted $7,500 cash bond and was released from jail with orders not to contact the victims in the case, Journey Church and staff – and he's not allowed to discuss the case with his wife. He's due back in court next week.
Journey Church's lead pastor said the church is offering counseling to anyone affected.
Full statement from Lead Pastor Kevin Taylor to the church community:
One of our former pastors, Gabriel Mills, was recently arrested for charges related to capturing intimate material without consent. This news has come as a great shock to our church and school community.
Our community, Journey Church and Christian Life School is founded on the biblical principles of trust, integrity, and respect for all individuals. These values bind us together and guide our actions. We hold our leaders to the highest standards of moral conduct, and any violation of these values is deeply troubling. We terminated Gabe’s employment upon learning of the allegations that led to his arrest.
At this time, Gabe is entitled to due process, and we will cooperate with law enforcement as they conduct their investigation. We are committed to transparency and accountability throughout this process and will await further information from the authorities.
Our hearts go out to anyone who may have been impacted by this situation. We are offering counseling and pastoral care to those affected. We ask that you respect their privacy during this time. We do not have any evidence to suggest students were affected by this situation.
This is a time for prayer, reflection, and healing. We must lean on our faith and each other to navigate through this challenging moment. Let us be reminded of Jesus’ call to love one another, even in times of trial, and to seek the truth with grace.
We understand that you may have many questions, and we are here to provide guidance and support. Please feel free to reach out to the church and school leadership with any questions or concerns.
Let us continue to seek God’s guidance through prayer as we strive to be a community rooted in love, even in times of hardship. May we remember that our strength comes from the Lord, and may we hold tightly to His promises during this time.