A 41-year-old Wisconsin pastor has been accused of sending himself nude photos of a parishioner’s wife.
The sordid ordeal is said to have occurred earlier this month when Journey Church pastor Gabriel Mills held a “life group” meeting at his Kenosha home, attended by the victim, her husband and children, along with other members of the congregation. .
When Mills asked the victim’s husband for his phone so he could download an audiobook app on it, he did so unaware that Mills was allegedly sending intimate photos to himself – which were sent to him by his wife and intended only for him were.
The pastor was caught in the grisly act after the victim noticed the pastor had her husband’s phone in his possession and tried to hide the screen, authorities said. The victim was shocked to see her nude images on the screen.
Mills, a married father of five, was arrested on September 23 and charged with two counts of recording an intimate representation without consent. After his first court appearance, he was given a $7,500 bond TMJ4 News reported.
Mills was arrested on September 23 and charged with two counts of recording an intimate representation without consent. After his first court appearance, he was given a $7,500 bond
Mills (pictured with his wife) is a married father of five children
The victim discovered the pastor’s alleged vile behavior after she went to get her children who were in another part of his house.
She spoke to the pastor to confirm that what she saw was correct. When Mills noticed she was on his trail, he “went white as a ghost,” the complaint said.
Mills tried to convince the victim that the woman on the screen was his wife and not her.
The victim left Mill’s home with her family and when she asked her husband if the pastor had taken his phone during the church meeting, he said he had and also revealed that he had had the phone for a “long time,” according to the complaint.
When the victim’s husband texted Mills to ask him if what his wife saw was true and if he searched his phone for sultry photos of his wife, Mills denied it.
He also sent the victim’s husband a photo of him and his wife, claiming this was the photo the victim had seen.
When police got involved, they executed a search warrant on Mill’s cell phone and that’s when they say they discovered the two images of the victim.
The victim’s husband claimed Mills had to search through more than a thousand images to find the ones he secretly downloaded.
Journey Church in Kenosha, Wisconsin, where Pastor Gabriel Mills served
When the news first broke, Journey Church issued a statement to church members and the Christian Life School Family about what had taken place and Mills’ termination.
They wrote, in part: ‘This news has come as a great shock to our church and school community. Our community, Journey Church and Christian Life School are founded on the biblical principles of trust, integrity and respect for all individuals.”
‘These values connect us 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.”
Mills pictured in a bathrobe with sweatpants and a T-shirt in matchless socks and slippers with a mug in his hand
Pastor Gabriel ‘Gabe’ Mills pictured during their Easter prayers
“At this time, Gabe is entitled to a fair trial and we will cooperate with law enforcement authorities as they conduct their investigation. We strive for transparency and accountability during this process and await further information from the authorities.
“Our thoughts go out to anyone who may have been affected by this situation. We provide advice and pastoral care to those affected. We ask that you respect their privacy during this period.
‘We have no indications that students have been affected by this situation. This is a time for prayer, reflection and healing. We must rely on our faith and each other to get through this challenging moment,” they wrote.
According to police, others were said to have fallen victim to the pastor and a number was given out for church members to call.
DailyMail.com contacted Detective Eric Taxler, who is handling the case, but he was unavailable for comment.