MOUNT VERNON — The Knox County Sheriff’s Office will now only play a support role in the investigation into sexual misconduct surrounding Faith Life Church.
“When our detectives went down to speak to detectives at Licking County, they pretty much said they would take it and go with it,” Knox County Sheriff Daniel Weckesser said Thursday morning.
“We said we’ll do anything we can to help, but pretty much they are going to run with it,” the sheriff said.
It had been previously announced it would be a joint investigation, led by Licking County detectives.
“We told them we would do the investigation, and they agreed to give us information if we have questions,” Capt. Jay Cook of the Licking County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday.
“We have a great relationship with Knox County and I have worked many cases with Knox County. They are awesome people,” he said.
The New Albany church and its more than 3,000 members are led by co-pastors Gary Keesee, and his wife, Drenda Keesee, who took office as a Knox County commissioner in January.
At least some of the alleged incidents took place in Knox County. No one has been charged in the case.
Knox County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Scott McKnight said Monday the allegations include sexual assault.
According to documents from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, allegations include assault and attempted assault; inappropriate relationships with young girls; inappropriate texting; and “grooming.”
McKnight said Monday the allegations go back several years and confirmed the investigation will include talking to church leaders.
The KCSO became involved in the case on Dec. 24 when a Columbus police detective contacted the sheriff’s office about allegations involving juvenile victims.
The KCSO forwarded the case to the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, citing a conflict of interest because Knox County commissioners have input into the KCSO’s budget.
BCI returned the case to Knox County because Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has a personal friendship with Gary and Drenda Keesee.
Licking County Sheriff Randy Thorp agreed on Feb. 7 to lead the investigation, with a KCSO detective assisting.
Security presence at commissioners’ meetings
Since the news broke about the allegations, the KCSO has been at the Knox County Service Center for commissioner meetings.
On Tuesday, around 30 gathered in the service center lobby. Just one resident attended Thursday’s meeting.
Centerburg resident Darcey Highley questioned the presence of the sheriff’s deputies.
“I believe that they have better things to be doing for the public they are supposed to be protecting, like the detective work that they are not doing correctly because they are out here,” she said.
Highley also said she got “wanded” when she entered the building.
A wand is a hand-held device that checks for electronic explosives, metal, or drugs.
Commissioner Bill Pursel said security is higher than before because deputies questioned a person on Tuesday about possibly having a weapon.
Pursel ended Highley’s comments when they specifically turned toward Keesee, who was in attendance at the meeting.
“You’re asking questions that are beyond the board’s oversight,” he told Highley.
“You have to understand, she is an individual of the board, but it’s not a board issue,” he said. “That’s not something as a county board of commissioners we would have oversight on. That’s an individual thing.”
Keesee also responded.
“This is my commissioner duty, and this is not a place to attack me,” Keesee said.
After the meeting adjourned, Highley addressed Keesee directly.
“Drenda, do you think if you would resign, then the sheriff could go back to what they should be doing?” she asked.
Keesee said, “I’m sorry, I’m not going to make any comments right now.”
Who asked for the security presence?
Weckesser said he intended to send deputies to the service center but noted that the commissioners requested a presence.
He said the deputies’ presence is primarily to make sure nothing gets out of hand.
“That’s the concern,” he said. “All we’re doing is keeping the peace. We want to make sure nothing happens.
“With the way things are anymore in the country, our presence will help keep anything from going awry,” he said.
Weckesser said that people cannot enter most government buildings without going through some kind of security protocol. The Richland County Courthouse, for example, requires all visitors, including attorneys, to pass through a metal detector.
“Our service center has been open to the public,” he said.
Some officers at the commissioners’ meetings are from the patrol division, but Weckesser said, “We do have coverage. The road is being covered.”
Weckesser said the Knox County Sheriff’s Office will probably remain at the service center through tax season, which ends next week.
