ASHLAND — The state’s top law enforcement officer has explained his connection to the owners of a megachurch that is under investigation for sexual assault.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost recused himself and the Bureau of Criminal Investigation from investigating allegations of sexual abuse at New Albany-based Faith Life Church citing a conflict of interest.
Faith Life Church is under investigation by the Licking County Sheriff’s Office for alleged sex crimes involving multiple victims dating back up to 22 years. No charges have been filed.
The church and its more than 3,000 members are led by co-pastors Gary Keesee, and his wife, Drenda Keesee, who recently took office as a Knox County commissioner.
At the time, Yost said Gary and Drenda Keesee — founders of Faith Life Church — were friends of his and had been guests at his home. He later said they had been to his house once for dinner.
In an exclusive interview with an Ashland Source reporter at an Ashland County Republican Party fundraising event, Yost, a 2026 gubernatorial candidate, said his campaign team encouraged him to meet the Keesees.
He said it was early 2024 when his campaign team suggested he get to know Gary and Drenda Keesee.
Yost’s campaign team said the Keesees have a broad reach and wide network that could be beneficial as he runs for governor.
The Keesees own a faith-based empire.
Faith Life Church, headquartered in a 44,000 square-foot building in New Albany, operates out of three campuses spread across three counties. The Keesees own 14 active LLCs in Ohio, several nonprofits and have published 36 books since 2003.
The family produces several programs broadcast on the Daystar Television Network, Youtube and Faith Life Now, the church’s own TV network. They own a plane and properties in Florida and Ohio.
Yost said he agreed to meet the Keesees. Instead of having a public dinner somewhere, Yost said he and his wife, Darlene, decided to invite Gary and Drenda over for dinner at their house.
Yost described their conversation as “uneventful.” He said topics included “church, ministry and solar.”
The Keesees did not respond to a request for comment on this story.
Running against solar
Drenda Keesee is a sitting Knox County commissioner. She ran unopposed in the general election, earning 23,077 votes. At the time of the dinner with the Yosts, she was one of two contenders for the seat ahead of the March primary.
One of her priorities for running included an opposition to solar projects in Knox County.
“As your commissioner, I will lead the charge to put a resolution in place to protect our un-zoned and zoned townships from ever facing future solar panel invasions, or other so-called ‘green agendas’ that may attack our water supply and other natural resources,” she vowed in a Knox Pages story.
The dinner — Yost said it happened in early 2024, sometime in February — took place before the Yosts knew about allegations involving sexual abuse.
Faith Life Church is under investigation by the Licking County Sheriff’s Office for sexual assault allegations stretching back years. No charges have been filed.
The church’s finances have also been investigated. The Ohio Attorney General’s Charitable Law Section investigated the finances following a complaint from 2020 to 2022.
“That case never even came across my desk,” Yost said of the probe into the church’s finances, noting the agency has around 1,500 employees.
‘A lot of hate’
Darlene Yost expressed regret at having the Keesees over to their house. She didn’t offer additional thoughts.
But the attorney general said he received “a lot of hate” after he recused BCI from investigating sexual abuse allegations. He said some of the public didn’t understand the reasons.
He reemphasized his reasoning, which he initially laid out upon declining to investigate.
“If my office had accepted this investigation, one of two things would have occurred: a charge, or a decision to not charge for lack of evidence,” he said.
“Either way, the credibility of the investigation would have been called into question — either by my critics who would claim my friendship prevented a thorough investigation, or by defense counsel at trial, who would try to claim that I am overreacting and targeting his client to prove my integrity for political purposes.
“The victims in the situation deserve better than that. An independent third-party must perform this investigation. By declining to perform an investigation in which I have a personal conflict, I am honoring the victims, the process, the public at large and the cause of justice,” he said.
The door is still open
The church’s finances were investigated by the Charitable Law Section of the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.
The probe did not lead to any charges. But the agency reserved the right to “resume or open a new investigation if additional information or developments” arise.
When asked if that is still the case, Yost confirmed it.
He said he would need to “freeze” himself out of the investigation “at the very least.”
Another option would be obtaining outside counsel, he said.