MOUNT VERNON — A former Faith Life Church official was indicted Monday morning on 27 sexual abuse counts.
A Knox County grand jury handed down the indictments against Gary Thomas Keesee Jr., which included 11 charges of first-degree rape.
The church’s former chief media officer was also indicted on 11 counts of sexual imposition, a third-degree felony, and five counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, fourth-degree felonies.
Keesee resigned his church post in August 2024.
The suspect is the son of Gary and Drenda Keesee, co-pastors of the church based in New Albany. Drenda Keesee is also a Knox County commissioner.
He is scheduled to be arraigned in Knox County Common Pleas Court on Wednesday at 1 p.m., according to Knox County online court records.
Licking County Sheriff’s Office detectives arrested Keesee at his Johnstown home on Friday on a warrant with two first-degree felony rape allegations and he spent the weekend in the Licking County Justice Center.
According to the arrest warrant, a victim stated Keesee engaged in sexual conduct with her when she was 5 and 6 years old at 6040 Sharp Road in Mount Vernon.
She stated it occurred more than 50 occasions in various places around the home, and in a motor vehicle.
The victim also stated she was sexually abused more than 100 times at various residences in Knox and Licking counties when she was between the ages of 8 and 15 years old.
Investigators allege in their criminal complaint — filed in Mount Vernon Municipal Court on Friday — Keesee victimized three minors.
Ohio law is stringent when it comes to sexual offenses involving minors. Cases that involve unlawful sexual conduct with a child under 16 do not have a statute of limitations for prosecution.
The first victim told law enforcement she had been abused between the ages of 5 and 6 years old. The incidents happened at a residence along Sharp Road in Knox County “over 50 occasions” in “various places around the home and in a motor vehicle,” reads the criminal complaint.
Another victim told detectives Keesee first began touching her private areas when she was 8 years old. The abuse extended through age 15 “nearly 100 times over the years,” reads the complaint.
The third victim said Keesee had touched her private area between the age of 10 and 11 at the Sharp Road residence. During one occasion, Keesee reportedly “put his hand in her bathing suit” while they both rode on a dirt bike.
Knox County Common Pleas Judge Richard Wetzel appointed Licking County Prosecutor Jenny Wells as special counsel in the case.
Knox County Prosecutor Chip McConville said he cannot prosecute due to a conflict of interest since he represents the Knox County Board of Commissioners.