Former Duluth youth pastor pleads guilty to sexual abuse

Months after his arrest, the former youth pastor of Duluth’s Vineyard Church pleaded guilty to one of the charges against him. Jackson Gatlin, 36, was charged in October 2023 with sexually assaulting five girls aged 11 to 16. He allegedly has five other victims.

He pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count and entered an Alford plea to the remaining charges. This is a conditional plea that allows the accused to maintain his innocence while remaining convicted and sentenced.

Judge Dale O. Harris on Wednesday ordered Gatlin returned to custody and held without bail. He was previously paroled after posting $50,000 bail.

Gatlin will likely serve at least 13 years in prison as part of a plea deal and register as a sex offender. This will become official after his sentencing. Gatlin will be sentenced on November 25-26, with victim impact statements to be made on the first day.

The allegations against Gatlin date back to 2007 and allege that he coerced teenage and teenage girls into having sexual contact with him. In addition to the criminal charges, the victims filed a civil lawsuit against Gatlin, his parents, Duluth Vineyard Church and Vineyard USA. Gatlin’s father, Michael Gatlin, was the church’s senior pastor, and his mother, Brenda, also held an influential position.

“The leadership of Brenda and Michael Gatlin fostered a culture of fear and intimidation that enabled the exploitation of vulnerable children. Unfortunately, within this church community, their toxic environment and oppressive tactics directly contributed to the sexual abuse of these women,” said attorney Spencer Kuvin. “These girls felt isolated, isolated and unable to seek help due to a hostile environment. Michael and Brenda Gatlin often used spiritual language and a fear-based culture to justify their actions, viewing harsh treatment as a means to promote growth or speaking the truth in love and dismissing fears as a lack of faith. This cruel manipulation only served to silence victims and deter them from seeking help.”

Michael and Brenda Gatlin no longer work at Vineyard Church in Duluth. The following is a statement sent in response to Wednesday’s call.

Jackson Gatlin pleaded guilty today to multiple counts of criminal sexual conduct. Jackson’s crimes occurred while he was a volunteer youth leader at Duluth Vineyard, and Jackson was later hired by the church as an assistant pastor. Jackson’s parents, Michael and Brenda Gatlin, were our senior pastors. The statute of limitations prevents Michael and Brenda from being criminally charged for failing to report suspected child abuse. In addition, an independent investigation by Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment (GRACE) also found cases of spiritual abuse. More information about this serious and heartbreaking situation can be found on our website: Click here.

Jackson was taken into custody today and is currently in jail. It is our understanding that, under the plea agreement, he is expected to be sentenced to 160 months in prison at his upcoming sentencing hearing. It was announced in court today that all victims in this case have agreed to the plea agreement and that they will have the opportunity to make victim impact statements at sentencing hearings on November 25 and 26, 2024.

To all the victims, we hope and pray that Jackson’s admission of guilt will be a positive step in your healing process. We are touched by your courage and grateful that you can support each other. We say again that we are very sorry. Our hearts are truly broken by your pain. On behalf of Duluth Vineyard, we apologize for the abuse you have suffered. The way you were treated was evil and we are sorry that the Duluth Vineyard became a place where this type of behavior could occur. We repeat the sorrow and repentance that we shared at our service on December 7, 2023.

We also want to tell all survivors of violence that we hear you and believe you. It’s never your fault. And you are not alone. We are not only here for you, there are links to other resources on our website. Because Jesus was always on the side of the vulnerable and wounded, the safety and care of survivors must always come first in our response to violence.

As we previously reported, we also recently learned that some of Jackson’s victims are seeking justice in civil court. In addition to Jackson, Michael and Brenda Gatlin, the defendants also include Duluth Vineyard and Vineyard USA. No one ever wants to be sued in civil court. However, we welcome this case and pray that it brings healing and justice to the victims. In addition, such a case may help determine the relative responsibilities of various parties. While what we can do financially is limited by the size of our resources, insurance coverage, and outstanding debt, we as a church want to follow the way of Jesus and take responsibility for the harm we believe we have caused. Civil court is a slow and flawed process, and it can take a long time before a final decision is made. Let us all pray for the victims, for patience, and that God will use this trial to advance his will here on earth as he does in heaven.

This is still a very painful situation, but this is where we so often find Jesus. We hope and pray that the Holy Spirit will give us the gift of unity and strength to do God’s will. And as we respond together as Jesus did to this difficult situation, our response will bring both healing to the victims and glory to God.

With the love of Christ,

Church Council