Faith Life Church Pastor Testifies in Son’s Sexual Assault Trial

Gary Keesee Sr., senior pastor of Faith Life Church in New Albany, Ohio, testified in court this week regarding the sexual assault trial of his son, Gary Thomas "Tom" Keesee Jr. The younger Keesee faces charges of sexually abusing four girls associated with the church between 2001 and 2012. During the bench trial, the elder Keesee denied having any knowledge of the alleged abuse prior to the public accusations surfacing in 2025, stating he was unaware of any such incidents during his 31-year tenure as a pastor.

While the defense maintains that the charges are unfounded and suggests the alleged victims conspired against the family, testimony from other family members contradicted the pastor’s account. Two of the defendant's siblings testified that they and other relatives were aware of the abuse allegations before they became public. Under cross-examination, the pastor acknowledged that his son had previously mentioned one of the allegations but claimed he was told "nothing was going on."

Judge Richard Wetzel is expected to deliver a verdict on November 6. The defendant has pleaded not guilty to all charges.