A Fulton church has been named as a defendant in a lawsuit that also includes Jack Wayne Rogers, accusing him of sexually assaulting the plaintiff when he was a child 14 years ago.

Kristopher D. Schondelmeyer, formerly of Fulton, names First Presbyterian Church of Fulton, Missouri Union Presbytery, Synod of Mid-America, Presbyterian Church Inc. (U.S.A.), Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Foundation, Bruce W. Berry and Jack Wayne Rogers as defendents. The suit was filed April 14 in the Callaway County circuit court.

According to the petition, Schondelmeyer wants to hold the defendants responsible for abuse he allegedly suffered from Rogers in 2000.

The petition alleges the defendants knew Rogers had previously been convicted on child pornography charges, and had knowingly put youth at risk “by placing Rogers in direct authority over minor children” and failing to provide supervision.

The suit specifically names First Presbyterian Church and Berry as having appointed Rogers to be a lay minister for the Presbyterian Church of Bellflower in Montgomery County.

Rebecca Randles, one of Schondelmeyer’s attorneys, further specified that Berry was the director of the Missouri Presbytery at the time and was the one who placed Rogers in Bellflower.

The suit states the alleged abuse took place during the Connection 2000 Youth Conference in Maryland, when Rogers was a chaperone for Schondelmeyer and several other teenagers from Fulton area Presbyterian churches.

Randles said Rogers then was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Fulton, and the congregation chose him to serve as a chaperone.

Calls to the First Presbyterian Church of Fulton were referred to the church’s attorney, Rachel D. Stahle of Kansas City, who said her firm does not comment on pending litigation.

According to the suit, Schondelmeyer and his family were taught by the church to trust and obey Rogers in his role as chaperone and lay minister.

The suit claims Rogers used that authority and position of trust to take advantage of Schondelmeyer and engage him in non-consensual sexual acts.

Schondelmeyer’s lawsuit includes counts of sexual abuse and/or battery, negligent failure to supervise children, negligent supervision of pastor, intentional infliction of emotional distress, intentional failure to supervise pastor, conspiracy to commit fraud or constructive fraud and negligent infliction of emotional distress.

The suit has demanded a jury trial and seeks compensatory and punitive damages, legal fees and other relief. Schondelmeyer filed a criminal complaint in Maryland in April 2013, but was told the criminal statute of limitations had expired.

The suit does not give Schondelmeyer’s age at the time of the alleged abuse, but does state he is currently 30 years old.

Now a Presbyterian minister living in Kansas City, Schondelmeyer said the purpose of his lawsuit is to encourage other potential victims to come forward.

“My biggest fear isn’t whether or not Presbyterian Church officials will do what is good and right and just,” Schondelmeyer said in the press release from the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP). “It’s that there might be other victims who are suffering in silence.

“To others who have been hurt by Jack Wayne Rogers, I encourage you to speak with local authorities or to reach out to SNAP, and to find a safe and trusted counselor to work towards healing. This is not your fault.”

He also stressed that he still trusts and believes in his church.

Rogers, formerly of Fulton, reportedly was convicted on child pornography charges in 1992.

According to court documents with the U.S. Court of Appeals, he pleaded guilty in November 2003 to two counts of possession of child pornography, five counts of distribution of child pornography and three counts of distribution of obscene materials, for which he was sentenced to 30 years.

Rogers pleaded guilty in September 2004 to felony charges of first-degree assault and unauthorized practice of medicine or surgery, for which he was sentenced to 17 years and seven years respectively. The charges stemmed from an incident in which Rogers illegally castrated a man in a Columbia hotel in October 2002.

Rogers, 69, is currently being held at the Federal Corrections Institute in Miami.