ANN ARBOR (MI)
MLive [Walker MI]
January 31, 2025
By Jordyn Pair
A former youth pastor charged with more than 30 felonies for sexually abusing children will stay in jail.
Washtenaw County District Court Judge J. Cedric Simpson denied Zachary Joseph Radcliff’s bond after hearing from prosecutors how the 29-year-old temporarily fled to Virginia during the ongoing investigation and repeatedly contacted a victim who came forward. This means, absent another ruling, Radcliff will stay in jail until his case concludes.
Simpson made the decision in a Thursday, Jan. 30, hearing. Radcliff’s attorney, Grand Rapids-based James A. Thomas, asked Simpson to reduce his client’s bond to $10,000.
Radcliff’s bond had previously been set at $3 million.
“(A) $3 million bond is tantamount to no bond,” Thomas said during the hearing. “Even if it was $1 million, it’s still tantamount to no bond.”
The worship director and interim youth pastor for Oakwood Baptist Church in Augusta Township told a victim who had come forward to “keep his… mouth shut,” using an expletive, after allegations surfaced, according to Amy Reiser, an assistant prosecutor for Washtenaw County. Radcliff reportedly called the victim eight times.
“This is how he’s acting when he’s not been charged, when he’s not been arrested and not been arraigned,” Reiser said. “He is intimidating and threatening the victims.”
Read more: 10 victims, potentially more, detailed in sexual abuse allegations against youth pastor
He also drove to Virginia, home of his alma mater Liberty University, while the investigation was ongoing, Reiser said.
When setting bond, judges weigh both the defendant’s danger to the community and likelihood they will flee and not appear in court.
Simpson expressed concern about Radcliff previously leaving the state. Though Radcliff was not under any bond conditions at the time, the behavior was “very troublesome,” the judge said.
“I’m looking at the behavior of the defendant because that’s what I have to bank on if he were to be released,” he said.
Radcliff has been charged with 33 felonies, including nine counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, eight counts of aggravated child sexually abusive activity, eight counts of child sexually abusive activity and eight counts related to using a computer to commit a crime. He is facing up to life in prison.
Radcliff was arraigned on 11 charges Oct. 20, followed by another 22 felonies Nov. 26.
Police identified 10 boys and one girl who were allegedly sexually abused, including at least one victim younger than 13 at the time the alleged abuse occurred.
As part of her argument, Reiser shared part of the testimony she said was likely to be heard at Radcliff’s preliminary examination, when a judge will decide whether there is sufficient evidence to send the case to trial court.
In 2015, Radcliff used Snapchat to contact a 14-year-old boy involved with Oakwood Baptist Church, eventually asking him about oral sex and offering to take him on a drive, Reiser said. In the middle of the night in July, Radcliff drove to the boy’s house and the boy snuck out and got into his car.
Radcliff then allegedly sexually assaulted the boy. A similar incident allegedly occurred when the boy was 15.
Radcliff reportedly referred to the incidents as their “cute little secret,” Reiser said.
He is also accused of bribing some of the children with goods, money or visits to restaurants in exchange for photos and videos of them masturbating, according to previous reporting. Eight children sent or received explicit photos or videos, police said.
Radcliff will next appear in court Feb. 24.