An Ohio pastor has been charged with the kidnapping and sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl. Jesse Santos, pastor of Canton Seventh-day Adventist Church, is accused of threatening the life of the teen to keep her from reporting the incident.
Editor’s note: This article refers to reports of child sex abuse, which some readers might find triggering and/or disturbing.
The incident occurred in September at a campground in Loudonville, Ohio. Police were called to the scene at the time.
According to police, the child traveled with Santos to a campsite. She alleges that while there, Santos touched her inappropriately and bit her. The report said Santos also made the 13-year-old touch him sexually.
Santos, 59, was arraigned on Tuesday, Feb. 25. He has been charged with one count of kidnapping, two counts of gross sexual imposition, and one count of endangering children.
According to CantonRep, the Ashland County district attorney’s office said that DNA evidence was found to support the accusations against Santos.
“There was DNA testing done and the defendant’s DNA was found on the victim’s lips, confirming a lot of her story,” said Matt Metcalf, a prosecutor for the case.
The Ohio Conference of Seventh-day Adventists said in a statement that it was “informed on Feb. 15, 2025, that law enforcement took one of its employees into custody.”
“We take this matter extremely seriously and are working closely with the local police to address the situation. Our highest priority is the well-being of our members, our employees, and the public,” the statement said.
“Upon learning of the detention, the Ohio Conference immediately placed the employee on administrative leave,” the statement continued. “We will remain in close communication with authorities in the coming hours and days and will provide additional information when we are able to verify the facts.”
