Lawsuit alleges former pastor at Fresno church and school engaged in repeated sexual abuse of student

A former student at a Christian school in Fresno has filed a lawsuit alleging that a church leader engaged in repeated sexual abuse against her when she was 14. The lawsuit, obtained by the Fresno Bee, details the abuse that began when the victim, referred to as “Jane Roe,” was 12 years old and a student at Truth Tabernacle Christian School. The case names the church, the United Pentecostal Church International, and Galen Gregg, a former pastor, teacher, and administrator at the school.

Jane Roe alleges that the abuse started when she was 12 and became friends with Gregg’s daughter. At age 12, she began staying over at the Gregg home, where she was allegedly exposed to inappropriate behavior. The lawsuit claims Gregg expressed a desire to watch her while she bathed, and when she was 13, a minor-aged son of Gregg entered her room and slept in the same bed. Gregg later brought up the incident at the school, using it to make Jane Roe feel ashamed and threatened.

Gregg was later promoted to principal of the school, where he created a student assistant position and assigned it to Jane Roe. The lawsuit alleges that he would frequently pull her from class, lock the door, and engage in aggressive, wrongful sexual acts, including forcing her to fondle his genitals. These acts are described as “regular and repeated” and occurred when she was 14 years old.

The complaint states that Gregg admitted his actions to Jane Roe’s parents and church leadership, who allegedly advised the family not to report the abuse to police. Instead, the church sought to handle the matter internally. The lawsuit claims the church leadership was negligent in its response to the abuse and is now seeking damages to be determined at trial.

The case, filed in November, is set for a case management hearing on October 17. Gregg, who represents himself in the civil case, has declined to comment publicly, stating that it would not be wise for people to believe everything they read in a civil lawsuit. The Fresno County District Attorney’s office has not pursued criminal charges against Gregg.

Source: Read the original report