Sunday school teacher accused of molesting girls at Johnston church

Jonathan Young, 34, of Benson, was being held Tuesday at the Johnston County Jail, where he is facing several charges, including six charges of first-degree rape of a child, three charges of statutory rape, two charges of first-degree sexual offense and two charges of indecent liberties with a child, said Johnston County sheriff's Capt. Jeff Caldwell.

Young is a Sunday school teacher at the Firstborn Baptist Church, which is where some of the incidents occurred, Caldwell said.

Investigators at the Johnston County Sheriff's Department said the cases date back as far as 15 years ago and involve three girls. The incidents occurred between 2003 and 2014, and the youngest victim was 7 years old when she was molested, investigators said.

Detectives first looked into an allegation against Young in 2014, but investigators were unable to find enough evidence to bring charges, authorities said.

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Multiple victims came forward recently, allowing the sheriff's office to build a case against Young, authorities said.

Girls who grew up at the church have alleged years of sexual abuse by Young, misconduct that some former church members say church leaders knew about but did nothing to stop.

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Church leaders say there was no cover-up.

"I'm heartbroken by it all because it's unbelievable," said Pastor Durwood Young. "I hate if anyone is hurt on either side but the young man is ruined now. I hate it and I don't know what else to say about it."

Pastor Young said he first heard about the allegations in 2014 from the sheriff's office, but no charges were filed at that time.

"The investigation was dropped as far as I know," Durwood Young said. "That's the way I understand it."

The church leader described the suspect as a "model employee."

"I think you could go out here in the community and find people who were absolutely devastated," Durwood Young said.

The father of two of the victims shared his family's pain through a Facebook post, and told WRAL News Tuesday that he reported the abuse to the pastor last year.

"I went to him on July 20, 2017 and told him who it was and what my youngest daughter said he had done to her," the father said. "We've been betrayed. We've experienced the utmost betrayal. Our hearts are crushed."

Durwood Young told WRAL News that they looked into the allegation at that time, watched Young closely after that and saw no issues.

Authorities said they cannot rule out the possibility that there may be additional victims.

Paul Jackson, an assistant district attorney for Johnston County, declined to comment on details about the case, but said: "We are taking this case very seriously."