Former N. TX Youth Pastor Accused of Fondling Boy

By Dionne Anglin
KDFW
September 16, 2014

http://www.myfoxdfw.com/story/26539129/former-n-tx-pastor-accused-of-fondling-boy

[with video]

A former North Texas youth pastor was arrested recently for allegedly fondling a young boy.

The 67-year-old former associate pastor, Steven Gray, is accused of fondling a "then" 11-year old boy, who was visiting him inside his trailer at a south Dallas mobile home park.

The arrest warrant affidavit says the victim, who is now 16, told his mother and a friend about what happened during at least one of the visits.

John Hall says he is that friend.

"He came out with me about four or five weeks ago during the summer and he said, ‘This is what happened: I was molested,” said Hall.

According to the affidavit, the victim says at age 11, "He started going over to [Gray's] residence on a daily basis,” and, "On one of these visits, [Gray] asked about a cowboy hat and [Gray] said if he wanted that hat, he would have to earn it."

Hall says they met gray at the small church they all attended -- the Lord's House of Prayer in Crandall, east of Dallas.

He says gray was a Sunday school youth teacher.

"Everybody didn't have a problem with him,” said Hall. “He was a real, nice, kind guy. He just put off that persona that he was."

The Dallas County Sheriff investigator handling the case says Gray left the church about three years ago, after serving there for 30 years, and he doubts the case was a one-time incident.

"I believe that, looking at a case of this magnitude, I think there's probably more victims,” said Robert Bjorklund with the Dallas County Sheriff's Office. "…If there are any other parents that possibly might think their child was a victim of this man, that they ought to come forth and have that child talk to us about, maybe there was an offense committed."

Gray is charged with indecency with a child by contact.

His bond was initially set at $150,000, though at last check on Monday, he's being held without bond.