AUBURN — A former youth minister with the First Assembly of God Church in Lewiston has been indicted on six sex charges involving a young male member of that church.
Joshua Williams, 22, of Auburn was employed full time by the church from June 2009 to October 2010, according to Pastor Donald Cougle, when the crimes were alleged to have been committed.
According to court records, Williams, of 16 Granite St., has been indicted by an Androscoggin County grand jury on three counts of gross sexual assault and three counts of unlawful sexual contact. The felony sexual assault charges stem from incidents in Bar Harbor, Auburn and Lewiston; the incidents of unlawful sexual contact occurred twice in Auburn and once in Lewiston, according to the indictment report.
The sexual assault in Bar Harbor is alleged to have happened in August 2009, the assault in Auburn in October of that year, and the assault in Lewiston in February 2010.
The charges of unlawful sexual contact stem from incidents in May, June and July 2009, and are misdemeanor charges.
According to the indictment, Williams was a “teacher, employee or other official having instructional, supervisory or disciplinary authority” over the minor victim who was a “student enrolled in a private or public elementary, secondary or special education school, facility or institution.”
Auburn police investigated the crime, but Deputy Chief Jason Moen said Friday he could not provide further details of the investigation.
According to Cougle, Williams was hired to “work in various aspects of church ministry, including music and youth ministries” at the Pentecostal church on Hogan Road. Williams’ main focus was on the youth ministries, Cougle said, and all of the incidents occurred while the victim was a member of the church.
The church’s Teens & Youth Alive program is geared to members ages 7 to 12 and includes weekly services and various other fellowship activities. The church also offers ranger programs with a host of activities, such as camping trips and mission work for children in grades K-12, including leadership training programs for high school-age members.
“In October of 2010, allegations were raised against Mr. Williams,” according to a written statement of the church’s Board of Directors delivered to the Sun Journal by Cougle on Friday, including “inappropriate contact with one teenager attending the church’s youth program.”
Church officials immediately reported the allegations to Auburn police and Williams was fired from his position with the church, the statement said.
Williams no longer attends services at the church, Cougle said.
The victim, who was a longtime member of the church, has also stopped attending services and participating in youth activities.
According to the church board’s statement, church staff have been fully cooperating with the investigation and will continue to do so throughout the court case.
Cougle said the congregation of the church is aware of the allegations and the police investigation, and had been expecting charges to be filed against Williams.
Williams is scheduled to make his first appearance in Androscoggin County Superior Court on Thursday, Feb. 3.
jmeyer@sunjournal.com
Staff Writer Mark LaFlamme contributed to this report.
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