“At this point, we have no information that indicates any of the children in our care were involved, but we are taking every precaution to protect our kids and to maintain the integrity of our ministry,” said Gober. “We must be clear: what Jon is accused of is a grievous sin, and it is heartbreaking for all of our church family and the families of innocent children who may be involved. God’s Word says ‘there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed’ (Luke 8:17).”
“We will not cover up sin, and we will not excuse it. We will fully cooperate with law enforcement and trust the judicial process,” Gober continued. “Our first priority is to honor the Lord through the continued safety of all the kids entrusted to our care.”
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In a subsequent statement on Sept. 29, Gober indicated that the church was cooperating with the Montgomery County Constable’s Office in its investigation and had asked detectives to conduct a search on Sheptock’s church computer “to ensure it contains no unlawful content.”
Gober said that authorities informed him that no other adults associated with First Montgomery Baptist Church or its school were under investigation.
“We are committed to full transparency and will continue to provide information as we receive it,” said Gober. “This is unfolding quickly, and we will provide updates on this page when we get more information.”
In a third update given on Oct. 7, Gober said that investigators had discovered “a new allegation against Jon from an adult connected to our church.”
“It is still true to my knowledge that no children associated with our church or school have come forth or been identified as victims,” added Gober. However, he urged anyone with information regarding the case to come forward to the authorities.
“I also want to publicly thank everyone for their prayers and encouragement during this difficult time,” Gober said. “You all have been a great blessing to us, and your prayers have strengthened us as we have endured the past 11 days.”
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If convicted, Sheptock could face up to 20 years in prison.
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