An Illinois pastor has been denied pretrial release after being arrested on suspicion of possession of child sex abuse material (CSAM). Douglas Overmyer, 51, was arrested last week.
Editor’s note: This article refers to reports of child sex abuse that some readers might find triggering and/or disturbing.
Overmyer is accused of possessing and sharing a video file depicting a young girl and an adult man engaged in a sex act. Investigators believe Overmyer shared the image in May.
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Overmyer had been serving as a supply pastor for Zion Hill Church, a Global Methodist congregation in Mattoon, Illinois.
The Great Lakes Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church, which had appointed Overmyer as pastor of the church, has suspended his credentials.
In a statement to WCIA, conference superintendent Dr. G. Scott Pattison said, “The Global Methodist Church condemns any form of abuse, and if called upon will cooperate fully with law enforcement.”
“Because this is an active ongoing matter, we cannot provide additional details at this time. Our prayers are with all who may be affected,” Pattison added.
Overmyer had also been the leader of Seers See, a ministry geared toward those “who perceive the spirit realm with his or her own eyes, or in his or her mind’s eye.”
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“Seers can be adults, but many are children. It’s not their fault. It’s just a gift or ability that some people are born with, or sometimes develop as they mature or have supernatural encounters,” the ministry’s website says.
