JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Members of an Oakleaf church expressed shock Thursday evening after a former worship leader was arrested on several charges related to sex crimes with a minor.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
Investigators arrested 32-year-old Jeremiah Paul Grover Thursday in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Duval County.
He’s now charged with five separate crimes tied to illegal sexual activity with a minor.
Clay County Sheriff’s Office and JSO said they had been investigating Grover since June.
The agencies alleged Grover, who was a worship leader at Elevate Life Church in Oakleaf Plantation, preyed on a 16-year-old who a member of the church.
Investigators claim Grover would meet with the minor in both Clay and Duval counties and engage in “sexual criminal conduct”.
“When we first learned of this inappropriate behavior, some months ago, we looked into the matter and within hours determined to terminate his employment,” said Mark Mellen, CFO of Elevate Life Church in an emailed statement.
Church leaders claim they immediately notified police.
“Our heart breaks for any person who is a victim of such abuse,” said Mellen.
We attempted to speak with congregation members who were at the church Thursday evening, but all of them declined to weigh in.
Action News Jax did speak with one woman who said she worked at the church but asked not to appear on camera.
She said she was shocked by the news and had not heard about the arrest.
She did not recognize Grover’s name either.
Grover is being held in Clay County Jail on a bond of more than $325,000.
His mugshot has not yet been released, but he is scheduled for his first court date on Friday, October 25.
Clay County Sheriff’s Office said it believes this to be an isolated incident with no additional victims. Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff’s office at (904) 264-6512.
Full Statement from Elevate Life Church CFO Mark Mellen:
“Recently, we learned that a former member of our staff has been arrested because of possible inappropriate conduct involving a minor. When we first learned of this inappropriate behavior, some months ago, we looked into the matter and within hours determined to terminate his employment.
We notified CPS and the local police, and obviously they have been, and continue to, investigate the situation.
While we do not want to speculate on this legal matter, we have been, and will continue to, proactively cooperate with local law enforcement and pray that truth will be revealed, and justice served.
Previously, we had never received any prior complaints or had past concerns regarding this former employee’s behavior.
We are heartbroken that a trusted staff member violated our church’s policies, procedures, and code of conduct. Our heart breaks for any person who is a victim of such abuse.
Any allegation of any kind of abuse or misconduct is always taken seriously and handled earnestly by the leadership of Elevate Life Church.
Elevate Life has made it a top priority to not only provide spiritual care but also provide safe environments for anyone attending our services or events. Our precautionary measures include background checks, volunteer vetting processes, employment screenings, safety trainings, and various security measures to help minimize any potential misconduct.
Further questions should be directed to law enforcement officials overseeing this case."
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Sign Up
