Former Wisconsin youth pastor charged with abusing teen as part of Faith Leader inquiry

MADISON – A former youth pastor has been charged with assaulting a minor as part of a state investigation into clergy and faith leader abuse in Wisconsin.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice said in a release that James Lane, 52, was charged with one count of repeated sexual assault of a child for incidents dating back to 2002 and 2003. An arrest warrant for Lane has been issued.

Lane, of Colorado, was a youth pastor at the Faith Reformed Church in Wisconsin Rapids at the time, a part of the Alliance of Reformed Churches .

More: Arrest warrant issued for 61-year-old man in Douglas County as part of state's clergy and faith leader investigation

The assaults occurred when the victim was 14 and 15 years old, according to the complaint. He once assaulted her in a car while driving her home and other times in his office.

When investigators interviewed Lane, he said he had a "relationship" with a girl in the youth group that got "inappropriate," the complaint says. He recalled kissing the girl and touching her inappropriately several times throughout the years the abuse occurred.

Lane started at the church in 2000 and likely resigned in 2004, according to the complaint.

The victim in the case had not previously reported the abuse to law enforcement or the church before making the report to the DOJ through the Clergy and Faith Leader Abuse Initiative website.

This is the third report to result in criminal charges against a faith leader.

Attorney General Josh Kaul launched the inquiry into abuse by spiritual leaders in 2021 . The team of investigators has received nearly 250 reports of abuse , and each is investigated while the survivors are offered support and resources.

Cases are turned over to law enforcement if charges are possible. Not all cases can be prosecuted, either due to the death of a perpetrator or because too much time has passed since the crime occurred.

Lane was able to be charged because he left the state after the abuse occurred and never returned, which stops the clock on the amount of time victims have to report abuse to law enforcement.

More: Josh Kaul's clergy abuse investigation in Wisconsin is almost 2 years old. Here's what we know so far about the attorney general's work.

How do I report abuse?

To file a report, call 877-222-2620 or use the online reporting tool at supportsurvivors.widoj.gov . Both options provide the ability to file an anonymous tip.

The department is still accepting reports and said survivors have control of what happens after their report is received.

Laura Schulte can be reached at leschulte@jrn.com and on Twitter at @SchulteLaura .

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Former Wisconsin youth pastor charged with abusing teen as part of Faith Leader inquiry