Megachurch pastor charged with sexual assault of 15-year-old

Zachary King, a U.S. megachurch pastor that recently resigned, is facing multiple charges in relation to the sexual assault of a teenage girl.

Up until three months ago King was the executive pastor of LexCity Church in Lexington, Kentucky. The 47-year-old also served in youth ministry at Craig Groeschel’s Life.Church and he spent eight years in leadership at Metropolitan Baptist Church in Houston, Texas. He has been married for 24 years to his wife.

According to the police report, King was booked in the Fayette County Detention Center and charged with first and second-degree rape, as well as first and second-degree sodomy. He was also charged with the unlawful use of electronics to engage in sexual acts with a minor.

The Attorney General of Kentucky, Russell Coleman interviewed King. During that time the former pastor confessed that he "engaged in a sexual relationship with a minor over the course of the last year and a half." He shared that he had "sexual intercourse with the minor starting at age 15 in January 2023, continuing until April 2024."

Reportedly the method in which he would connect with the minor female was through Snapchat and WhatsApp, in which he received explicit photos and shared ways to meet up. He confessed that he had "sexual intercourse in the minor's home, at his residence, and at the church where he was a former pastor."

It is said that the congregation of LexCity Church confronted him a few months ago and at that time he resigned. The church released a public statement on July 3, 2024.

"Pain and hurt are never the wishes of any church," the statement reads. "So, the leadership of LexCity Church is deeply grieved at the pain and hurt caused by a former staff member’s alleged actions, which affect so many in so many ways. Our hearts and prayers go out to the victim, their families, and those wounded by this."

LexCity Church encountered a similar situation previously. The former pastor, Peter Hise, discontinued his ministry at the church, then known as Quest Community Church, after admitting to an extra-marital affair. In 2018, with Hise gone, the church rebranded to LexCity.

King's arraignment took place on Tuesday, July 2. During that time his attorney asked Judge John Tackett to set his bond at $50,000, which would allow King to pay $5,000 or 10 per cent of the bond to be released. However, the judge set King’s bond at $250,000.