Former Salvation Army Major Convicted of Gross Sexual Assault in Maine Faces 44 Child Sex Abuse Counts in Clark County

Former Salvation Army major James Allen Gingrich, 64, has been indicted on 44 child sex abuse counts in Clark County, according to Clark County Prosecutor Dan Driscoll. Before his time in Springfield, Gingrich was convicted in Maine of gross sexual assault, a crime that prompted an investigation into his past conduct.

Gingrich, who served as a Taekwondo instructor for the Springfield Salvation Army post from 1996 to 2009, was arrested in Tallahassee, Fla., on Sept. 9 following an indictment dated Aug. 31. Springfield Police Division detectives began investigating Gingrich after his Maine conviction led several individuals in Clark County to report alleged sexual assault to local authorities.

Detectives Paige Rector and Kevin Miller were able to locate multiple victims in the Clark County area during the investigation. Driscoll emphasized that the indictment was based largely on the bravery of those who came forward. “These people put a lot of faith and trust in Mr. Gingrich and he took advantage of that,” Driscoll said. “It’s our hope that we’re able to bring them some closure to restore some faith with these folks and ultimately to punish this individual for what he did.”

The indictment includes 41 counts of rape and three counts of attempted rape, with several victims reportedly under the age of 13 at the time of the alleged assaults. Gingrich allegedly gained access to minors through his role as a martial arts instructor, with all reported victims being Taekwondo students.

Gingrich worked at the Maine Salvation Army before transferring to the Springfield location in 1996. He left Springfield in 2009 and moved to East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, before relocating to Tallahassee around 2020, where he was not affiliated with the Salvation Army.

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