Kenosha pastor accused of sending intimate photos to himself without consent

KENOSHA, Wis. (AP) — Gabriel Mills, a 41-year-old pastor, is accused of sending intimate photos of a victim to himself without his consent in Kenosha.

Mills is charged with two counts of recording an intimate image without consent.

According to the criminal complaint, the Journey Church pastor borrowed the victim's husband's phone to download an audiobook app and audio book for him, but instead searched for intimate photos of the victim and then sent them to himself without permission.

The victim, her husband and children went to Mills' home to participate in a “life group” – a church program – with other members of the congregation.

It seemed like just another meeting without anything out of the ordinary, at least until Mills asked the victim's husband to borrow his phone so he could download the audiobook around 8 p.m.

While Mills appeared to be downloading the audiobook, he allegedly went through the man's messages and sent himself intimate images of the victim.

According to the complaint, the victim went to the basement to check on her children and when she returned, she saw Mills clutching his phone and covering the screen.

They talked for a while and during the conversation his screen lowered just enough for her to see an intimate photo she had taken of herself. The victim knew the photo had only been sent to her husband and Mills did not have access to it.

When Mills realized the victim was seeing the photo, he became “pale as a ghost,” according to the complaint. Mills tried to convince the victim that the photo was of his wife and it was not her. The victim and her family left Mills' home.

The victim later asked her husband if he had given Mills his phone and told her that he had asked Mills to download an audiobook, but he had had it for a “really long time,” the complaint states.

Mills attributed having the phone for so long to the need to change the settings so both of them could use an app with the audiobook at the same time. The victim's husband then left Mills with the phone to set everything up.

The victim's husband later messaged Mills and asked him if he had been looking through text messages to find intimate photos. Mills denied it. The priest sent the husband a photo of his wife and claimed that the victim had seen the photo.

Police investigated the incident and searched Mills' cell phone after obtaining a warrant and found two photos in which the victim identified herself as herself, according to the complaint.

The victim's husband said the photo the victim described was at the beginning of her text messages and that Mills had to look at over a thousand pictures before he came up with it.

Mills was arrested by police on September 23rd. He made his first court appearance, where bail was set at $7,500 for his release.

According to police, other members of the church may also have been victims.

Anyone with information can contact Detective Eric Traxler at (262) 605-5223.

Resources for crime victims can be found here.

Journey Church sent this statement to TMJ4

Dear Journey Church and Christian Life School family,

One of our former pastors, Gabriel Mills, was recently arrested on charges of recording confidential material without consent. This news is a huge shock to our church and school community. Our community, Journey Church and Christian Life School, is founded on the biblical principles of trust, integrity and respect for all people. These values ​​connect us and guide our actions. We demand the highest standards of moral behavior from our leaders, and any violation of these values ​​is deeply concerning. We terminated Gabe's employment when we learned of the allegations that led to his arrest. At this time, Gabe is entitled to due process and we will cooperate with law enforcement authorities in conducting their investigation. We are committed to transparency and accountability throughout the process and await further information from authorities. Our thoughts are with everyone who may be affected by this situation. We offer those affected advice and pastoral care. We ask that you respect your privacy during this time. We have no evidence that students were affected by this situation. This is a time of prayer, reflection and healing. We must rely on our faith and each other to get through this challenging moment. Let us remember Jesus’ call to love one another even in times of trial and to seek the truth with grace. We understand that you may have many questions and are here to provide you with advice and support. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact the church and school leadership. Let us continue to seek God’s guidance in prayer as we strive to be a community rooted in love even in difficult times. May we remember that our strength comes from the Lord and may we hold fast to His promises during this time.

With faith and hope, Pastor Kevin Taylor

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