''She wanted it'' - Pastor who raped 17-year-girl in church

46-year-old  James Messer, a pastor who is accused of raping a 17-year-old girl in the men’s bathroom at his church, has made a confession on the incident which led to his arrest after the girl’s family reported him.

The girl told police she rode with Messer to the Crossway Worship Center in Newport.

She said the two entered the church and went into a room, where Messer began flirting with her and asked her several times to take off her clothes, which she initially refused to do.

Consensual

The girl said she felt scared and, at Messer’s direction, took off her clothes and laid on the floor, where Messer had sex with her.

However upon interrogation, the Pastor who admitted having sex with the girl, claimed the sex was consensual.

Aggravated sexual battery

Warrants were taken out on Messer and he was taken into custody and transferred to the Cocke County Jail.

Messer faces charges of statutory rape, forcible rape and aggravated sexual battery by an authority figure.  He was released on bond.

Also read: Pastor gets standing ovation after admitting to ‘sexual incident’ with teenager