‘Knew this would come out’: Indiana youth pastor admits to having sex with teen girl inside church, court docs show

MIDDLETOWN, Ind. — New court docs show a central Indiana youth pastor, substitute teacher and high school track coach admitted to police that he fondled and had oral sex with a teenage girl in his Henry County church office because he was having “troubles at home.”

Bryan Crabtree, a 35-year-old Sulphur Springs man, was arrested earlier this month and charged with felony sexual misconduct and child solicitation. New court documents filed in his case reveal the youth pastor knew his actions would come to light.

Deputies with the Henry County Sheriff’s Office were called on June 12 to Sulphur Springs Christian Church after a pastor received an anonymous letter with allegations against Crabtree. Church elders immediately placed Crabtree on leave and later fired him.

When police arrived, Crabtree was coincidentally already there picking up some items he had left earlier in the day. He reportedly told police he knew something was going on and later said he “knew this would come out at some point” after church staff told him about the allegations.

Church staff spoke of “disturbing rumors” involving Crabtree and said the tipster was fearful due to his position as a youth pastor. Deputies then spoke with the victim, who said she met Crabtree as a freshman at Shenandoah High School. He was her track and cross-country coach.

Police learned that Crabtree, who at times served as the victim’s substitute teacher, started by sending lewd photos and videos to the 14-year-old and requesting she did the same. However, she said things turned physical over the next year and a half and continued until she was 18.

Crabtree was then taken to the Sheriff’s Office for an interview, where he reportedly admitted to being attracted to the victim “for a while” and referred to her as a “beautiful girl.” At first, police said Crabtree claimed things began between him and the victim when she was 17 or 18.

Court documents detail how Crabtree “knew what he was doing was wrong” and how he blamed it on him “going through a lot at home.” The youth pastor said intimacy issues made it so that he needed someone “to talk to or confide in,” so he chose the teenage girl.

Deputies told Crabtree that they already knew more than he thought, causing him to reportedly admit to “fingering” and performing oral sex on the girl when she was just 14 or 15. Court docs say the encounters occurred “mostly at the church” and at his house in late 2020.

When asked if he ever had intercourse with the victim, Crabtree said no. However, he reportedly told police that it was because she did not want to and that “if she ever offered, he would have.”

Court docs detail how Crabtree also admitted to sending her dozens of nude photos and videos, as well as creating “to-do lists” requesting she send certain images in return. Police later received further proof of these texts from the victim.

The next day, on June 13, Crabtree was officially arrested by deputies and charged with three counts of child solicitation and one count of sexual misconduct with a minor. He was subsequently booked into Henry County Jail.

Online court records show an initial hearing in Crabtree’s case is scheduled for 11 a.m. on July 1. Deputies added that the county prosecutor may file additional charges against Crabtree after reviewing all evidence gathered.

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