Duluth youth pastor pleads guilty to sexual abuse; victims filed a lawsuit – InForum

DULUTH — A former youth pastor pleaded guilty Wednesday to sexually abusing numerous girls under his supervision and agreed to serve a 13-year prison sentence.

But for Jackson Michael Gatlin’s victims, accepting criminal responsibility is just the “first step.” The hearing was immediately followed by the announcement of 10 civil lawsuits seeking to prosecute the local and national Vineyard church and several officials.

“The church allowed Jackson to use his position and power to harm the children and me,” said victim Hannah Hogue. “Hypocrisy, grooming and gaslighting were really some of the most damaging aspects. Parts of me still feel trapped in this headspace with him. It keeps me up at night. It gnaws at me. I often find it difficult to sleep, let alone eat.”

Gatlin served as a volunteer and paid assistant pastor at Kenwood Community Church from 2007 to 2023. His parents, Michael and Brenda Gatlin, were senior pastors of the church and also participated in its national leadership.

Several investigations were launched, with court documents indicating that the Gatlins

Allowed their son to use church youth group as a “hunting ground”

“(preyed on) underage girls without any consequences for years” before police intervened in 2022.

Authorities said the known victims ranged in age from 11 to 16 years old.

“These crimes were not isolated incidents,” said Spencer Kuvin, a nationally recognized attorney representing victims. “The culture of fear, spiritual manipulation and violence that occurred within the Vineyard Church both locally and nationally was the root cause of these incidents.”

Gatlin, subject to intense questioning by St. Louis County prosecutors Mike Ryan and Jacqueline Primeau, did not dispute the underlying allegations. He entered a plea to five counts of first- through fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct.

But he admitted to only one incident, entering an Alford plea to the remaining charges. An Alford plea allows a defendant to maintain his innocence while asking the court to plead guilty based on the strength of the evidence against him.

In his only direct statement, Gatlin admitted that he began texting the 14-year-old girl outside of group activities. He eventually invited her to his parents’ home in the Lakeside neighborhood and they engaged in sexual intercourse. She was still a minor, and he held a leadership position that made such behavior illegal.

The former pastor further admitted that several other victims and witnesses have testified about similar incidents.

In one case, it was alleged that Gatlin forced a sexual act on an 11-year-old child during a bus ride in the Twin Cities. In another case, the victim’s mother reportedly called Brenda Gatlin to report an attempted assault by her son, but the senior pastor hung up.

Complaints were filed against five separate victims, but five others were not charged for multiple reasons. Judge Dale Harris granted the motion, which could

allowed prosecutors to present evidence of other crimes or bad behavior at every trial

prove his motive and pattern of behavior.

The plea agreement allows Gatlin to avoid a series of trials.

less than two weeks before the first one starts.

Both he and the victims signed a 13-year sentence.

Harris revoked Gatlin’s bail, ordering him immediately jailed, with a two-day sentencing hearing set for Nov. 25-26.

Kuvin, a Florida lawyer hired by victims, is known for representing accusers of billionaire financier Jeffrey Epstein and comedian Bill Cosby. His firm has teamed with Duluth-based Falsani, Balmer, Peterson & Balmer to initiate the civil lawsuit.

Kuvin said the complaints include all three Gatlins, as well as Duluth Vineyards and USA Vineyards. They have been served and papers are expected to be filed in state District Court in the coming days, Kuvin said.

Nine cases involve personal injury and one involves wrongful death. Jean Filkins tearfully described the death of her daughter Casey, who committed suicide in 2022.

“In the last years of her life, she often spoke about the pain caused by Jackson Gatlin and the church,” Filkins said, “and how it made her feel humiliated as a human being. She felt it impacted her understanding of love and relationships.”

Filkins, who is also Hogue’s mother-in-law, described the young women as “beautiful, strong and amazing.” She accused the pastors of “harming the flock they were supposed to protect and further damaging the reputation of the Christian church.”

Victim Vanessa Josephson said she too spent 16 years battling depression, anxiety, an “overwhelming sense of despair” and suicidal thoughts. She was glad the agreement would at least require Gatlin to serve time and register as a sex offender for life.

Mirissa Overforce said Wednesday’s events could only have happened because of the “amazing women who came together to support each other.”

“After 17 years of struggle, to finally find a sense of justice for myself and others is overwhelming and powerful,” she said. “I stand here today knowing that all of this is possible through the courage to use your voice and stand up for what is right.”

Jackson Gatlin

was fired by the church in February 2023.

after refusing to participate in the investigation. His parents also resigned or were fired from local and national positions and reportedly moved out of state.

Duluth Vineyard has

Consistently published detailed timelines, resources and reports

to its website from the very beginning of the investigation, including

A 96-page report prepared by the non-profit organization Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment.

Quivin argues that civil litigation can lead to liability not only through financial penalties, but also through the disclosure of new information.

“The process of solving this civil case can allow us to uncover the facts that allowed this to happen,” the attorney said, “and hopefully other institutions and the Vineyard Church can correct this so it never happens again.”