Pastor Faces 14 Felony Charges for Alleged Sexual Abuse of 15-Year-Old Girl

A pastor faces 14 felony charges after being accused of sexually abusing a minor. Joshua Kemper, 47, of Foothill Church in Coarsegold, California, was arrested after a months-long investigation. 

Editor’s note: This article contains details about child sex abuse that some readers might find disturbing and/or triggering.

Kemper began serving as the pastor of Foothill Church in 2019, according to an archived page on the church’s website. The church is affiliated with the Assemblies of God, and Kemper is a licensed minister with the denomination. 

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In a statement, the Madera County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) said that Kemper’s alleged victim was a 15-year-old girl. 

“The investigation began on July 28, 2025, after a report was filed by church officials in Coarsegold,” said MCSO. “Detectives learned that Kemper, who served as a pastor at the church, had been engaging in inappropriate communication and sexual conduct with the juvenile victim.”

The statement added, “The investigation revealed the victim was in a sexual relationship with Kemper that occurred between March and July 2025, involving multiple incidents at the church, her home, and inside the suspect’s vehicle.”

Authorities allege that Kemper used a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) phone number and social media accounts to conceal his communications with the victim and that “extensive explicit messaging, photos, and videos [were] exchanged between Kemper and the victim.”

MCSO said that when investigators approached Kemper, he declined to provide a statement and subsequently retained legal counsel. He was arrested on Oct. 27. 

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Kemper has been charged with:

• Four counts of oral copulation with a victim under 16
• Three counts of lewd acts with a minor
• One count of unlawful sexual intercourse
• One count of oral copulation with an intoxicated victim
• One count of sexual penetration with a foreign object
• One count of possessing matter that depicts a minor engaged in sexual conduct
• One count of attending an arranged meeting with a minor for lewd behavior
• One count of contacting a minor with the intent to seduce
• One count of sending harmful material to a minor with intent to seduce.