Pastor Silas Shelton arrested in Ohio for sexual abuse of a minor
Pastor Silas Shelton, 48, was arrested on October 15, 2025, in Blanchester, Ohio, and faces four serious criminal charges. The head of Blanchester Community Ministries is being charged with rape, sexual battery, unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and gross sexual imposition.
The facts alleged against the religious leader
According to court documents, the violations began in September 2019 when the alleged victim was 14 or 15 years old. The young woman and her family then attended the congregation led by Shelton. The alleged abuse continued for approximately six years, until a few months before the arrest.
Detective Codey Juillerat of the Wilmington Police Department revealed that the assaults allegedly occurred in several locations in Clinton County and Warren County. Investigators mention Shelton’s home in Morrow, Cowan Lake and local hotel rooms.
A dynamic of religious manipulation
The probable cause statement describes a relationship marked by conditioning and manipulation. The victim reportedly felt trapped due to the position of religious authority held by Shelton. The lead detective points out that crimes of this nature are particularly concerning when they involve a spiritual authority figure.
Anti-LGBTQ public statements of 2023
The case is receiving increased media attention due to Shelton’s previous public stances. In August 2023, the pastor publicly criticized the presence of LGBTQ books at a Little Miami Local School District school fair. He notably denounced the graphic series Heartstopper by Alice Oseman.
At that school board meeting, Shelton said children should never question their sexuality and opposed Pride flags in schools. Following his intervention, the district modified its book fair policies, reducing their duration from ten to two days.
Ongoing legal proceedings
Silas Shelton remains in custody at the Clinton County Adult Detention Center with bail set at two million dollars. He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him. A preliminary hearing was originally scheduled for October 22, 2025, and then rescheduled for October 24 in Clinton County Municipal Court.
The Wilmington Police Department, assisted by the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, conducted the investigation. Authorities are protecting the victim’s identity and encouraging other possible victims to come forward.
usa“>USA sources:
Metro Weekly – “Anti-Gay Ohio Pastor Charged With Child Sexual Abuse”
https://www.metroweekly.com/2025/10/ohio-pastor-child-sex-abuse/
Cincinnati Enquirer – “Ohio pastor who protested LGBTQ book at school fair accused of child rape, sexual battery”
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/local/2025/10/17/ohio-pastor-protested-lgbtq-book-charged-for-child-rape/86749996007/
Newsweek – “Pastor Charged With Child Rape Complained About ‘Gay’ Books at School”
https://www.newsweek.com/pastor-charged-child-rape-complained-gay-books-school-10913133
