CLEVELAND COUNTY, Okla. (KFOR) – A former Cleveland County pastor has been arrested after allegations he was sexually inappropriate with a child.
The allegations are centered around James McMillan, and the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office confirmed he was taken into custody Tuesday afternoon on two felony counts of lewd or indecent acts to a child under 16.
News 4 confirmed with at least six independent sources that McMillan was a former pastor at a minimum of two churches in Slaughterville and Konawa. Those sources confirmed McMillan left both churches under strange circumstances several years ago, and hasn't preached at either location since then. News 4 isn't identifying them.
News 4 is also sharing very limited details pertaining to why McMillan was arrested in the first place to protect the victim's identity. Court documents say on November 8, a DHS caseworker showed up to McMillan's front door with a detective after getting a complaint of sexual abuse.
McMillan told the caseworker he would never do anything to hurt the victim or any other children. Documents say McMillan also began laughing about his statement, that he wouldn't do anything to children.
Documents say the victim, during an interview, reported that McMillan had made an inappropriate joke directed at her. They also say McMillan allegedly exposed himself to the victim and made inappropriate gestures while they were traveling in the same vehicle.
"It kind of just built up and now it's like this huge relief and it's just weird to kind of set in," said Makayla Stogsdill, who attended a church where McMillan preached.
She told News 4 Tuesday she wasn't surprised to hear about the allegations after years of rumors. Stogsdill said at one point, she and McMillan's daughter were close, and that she would often go over to his home for sleepovers.
"I like really trusted him a lot," said Stogsdill.
Stogsdill says she became uncomfortable at a certain point when McMillan showed signs of strange behavior.
"He would like be glued to us the entire time," said Stogsdill.
News 4 spoke with a second former church member of McMillan's, but said she was too afraid to share her identity.
"It's heartbreaking to know that this happened to somebody else," she said. "He destroyed a church, that takes a lot of power. What else can he do with it?"
What both women said troubled them the most was the last few lines of an arrest warrant request for McMillan. The documents state that there are multiple documented DHS and law enforcement cases where McMillan is listed as the suspect tied to sexual abuse dating back to 2003.
The Cleveland County Sheriff's office shared that detectives believe there may be more victims tied to McMillan. If you or anyone you know has information you're asked to contact the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office to speak with detective Paulk.
