ALLEN COUNTY, OH (WLIO) -The Allen County Sheriff's Office giving an update on their investigation of a local Teens for Christ chapter.
The press release sent out by the sheriff's office says that at this point, no state charges have been filed and it's unknown if any will be. Through the investigation, it was discovered that many of the complaints cross state lines and are beyond Allen County's jurisdiction, and the sheriff's office reached out to several federal law enforcement partners.
The investigation stems from postings and letters from earlier this year that alleges that the local Teens for Christ chapter is 'cult-like' and that sexual harassment, abuse, and misconduct have happened within the organization.
As of last week, the sheriff's office has turned over all findings to the FBI. They say that they know people want answers now but they do not want to compromise the quality of an investigation for quick results. The sheriff's office plans to assist the FBI as the investigation continues, and any new complaints or information can still be made directly to the sheriff's office.
11-7-2022 Press Release from the Allen County Sheriff's Office: As you are aware, we have been investigating complaints involving members and staff of a local Teens for Christ chapter for several months. As of the date of this email no state charges have been filed and it is unknown if any will be. As this investigation has proceeded, we have found that many complaints cross state lines and some of the alleged questionable conduct has occurred far outside of this agency’s jurisdiction. As earlier noted, we preemptively reached out to federal law enforcement partners believing this was a likely outcome. As of this Friday, our Detective Bureau has closed their portion of this investigation and turned all of its finding over the Federal Bureau of Investigations. We do not have a timeline on their investigation. We understand that citizens want answers; however, as with all cases, we will not sacrifice the quality of an investigation for expediency. We will assist the FBI in whatever they request from this office related to this matter and we look forward to seeing it concluded with every complaint being heard, investigated, and resolved in the best interest of the individuals involved and the community at large. Even though the case has been transferred to the FBI our Detectives will still accept information and new complaints related to this issue and they will ensure the information is sent to the appropriate personnel.
