WAVE
July 31, 2008
http://www.wave3.com/Global/story.asp?S=8763993
SHEPHERDSVILLE, KY (WAVE) - Charges of sexual abuse against a Bullitt County youth minister have been dropped. Seven months ago, a parent accused the Shepherdsville man of abusing her daughter while at church. WAVE 3's Scott Harvey obtained court documents which show that parent now admits to making up the whole story.
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| Clayton Pruett |
Not only did Debra Kay Perez Johnson admit to lying, she will also pay Clayton Pruett an undisclosed amount according to this settlement. Pruett told me Wednesday he's just glad it's over and knew the truth would come out.
"A perverted pedophile. I don't know any other thing to call him. He is a sick person," said Debra Kay Perez Johnson during an interview with WAVE 3 on December 14th, 2007.
That was Johnson accused Pruett of sexually abusing her teenage daughter leading to his arrest.
"These were serious allegations that someone accused me of," said Pruett. According to a settlement filed in Bullitt County Circuit court, that Johnson signed, she made it all up.
"That's the biggest relief," Pruett said. "Is now knowing that I can just show people this and say we have proven this to be false."
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Pruett told me the false accusations came after he repeatedly tried to discipline Johnson's daughter at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Shepherdsville.
"When I tried to uphold that obligation that the church wants me to, she responded in a very negative way. A very horrible way."
"The church has been behind me 100% the entire time."
Pruett has now been re-instated as youth minister at Pleasant Grove.
"We are just overjoyed hearing the news in the past couple of days this has finally come to an end," said Pastor Von Erik Smith.
The school system tells us Pruett has also returned as the assistant wrestling coach at Bullitt Central High School.
When I asked Pruett if he wanted to see charges filed against Johnson, he replied, "That is up to the police."
Pruett is now just trying to put the entire incident behind him.
"You can hold your head up high knowing that the truth will get out and that is exactly what has happened here," Pruett said.
The Bullitt County Attorney told me they may soon charge Johnson in this case for making false statements to police.
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