New Info in Sex Abuse Case

By Neita Cecil
Dalles Chronicle
June 16, 2016

http://www.thedalleschronicle.com/news/2016/jun/16/new-info-sex-abuse-case/

A police interview with the senior pastor of First Christian Church showed that church officials had “expressed concerns” about the behavior of a youth leader who was eventually convicted of sexually abusing teen girls.

#Michael Cele Stephens, 20, was sentenced to 15 years in prison early this year for sexually abusing six teen girls. He met his victims through the church youth group and 4-H.

#One of his victims has sued First Christian Church for $5 million, alleging the church was negligent in not heeding and investigating warning signs that Stephens was grooming girls for sexual abuse.

#Stephens befriended his victims, eventually exchanging sexual texts and photos.

#He abused them at their homes, their relative’s homes or his relative’s homes, and in a parking lot.

#The case came to light when a mother of one of the girls saw a sexual text message on her daughter’s phone.

#Stephens confessed to abusing 10 girls, but four did not want to press charges.

#The lawsuit also alleges the church failed to implement appropriate child abuse prevention policies after an

#earlier sexual abuse case involving their previous youth pastor, which was settled in 2013.

#The victim from that earlier case sued the church and settled in 2014.

#Stephens abused the girls in 2014 and 2015.

#The Dalles Police Det. Sgt. Doug Kramer wrote a report about his July 31, 2015, conversation with Dan Troutman, senior pastor at the church.

#Kramer called the pastor “to advise him about Stephens being arrested and the potential for more victims.”

#Kramer explained to Troutman about Stephens’ arrest without going into any detail on the allegations.

#“I told Troutman that so far no one had advised that the incidents occurred at the church or during youth group,” Kramer wrote.

#“Troutman told me that they had their concerns with Stephens and a former youth group leader had expressed concerns about this behavior.

#“Troutman told me that [the youth minister] had been trying to work with Stephens.

#Troutman explained that Stephen’s position was basically a volunteer aide to the actual leaders.”

#Police investigative materials become public record once a criminal case is adjudicated.

#The Chronicle sought those investigative materials last week, after it learned about the lawsuit brought against the church.

#The city took several days to review the records to ensure they were releasable.

#The paper published its initial story about the lawsuit on June 15, after holding the story for several days and deciding not to wait further for the city to determine if the investigative material was releasable.

#The material was released to the paper the same day that the initial story was published.