Just days after Pastor Aaron Williams Jr. of Maddox Memorial Church of God in Christ in Mansfield, Ohio, pleaded not guilty to engaging in a sex act with a woman who is not his wife, video footage from a police bodycam of him and the unidentified individual being charged with public indecency has been released.
In the video shared on Instagram by Corey Blount, a Mansfield Police Department officer is seen approaching the pastor’s SUV from the left and opening the rear door. Williams, whose underwear appears to be partially down, quickly pulls it up as the officer asks him and the unidentified woman for identification.
The pastor was then asked by the officer if he was married to the woman or if they were just “boyfriend and girlfriend.”
Williams reluctantly told the officer: “Boyfriend, girlfriend.”
“Why would you do this in the middle of the park?” the officer asked.
“This is my own time. It’s cold outside,” the pastor replied.
“Obviously, it’s an arrestable offense, you know that,” the officer told Williams. “I’m not trying to lock anybody up. I think things got out of control. But I think it’s plain to see in a public area, you guys are engaging in sexual conduct.”
The officer then gave the interrupted couple separate summonses, but did not appear to arrest them.
On Sept. 9, Allen Werstiuk, the defense attorney for the 56-year-old pastor, pleaded “not guilty” to the charge on his behalf. Williams is now scheduled to go to trial on Nov. 20 in Mansfield Municipal Court.
Records provided by the Mansfield Police Department to The Christian Post show that at about 1:32 p.m. on Aug. 30, the patrol officer saw a grey 2022 Land Rover in Picnic Area No. 1 at Clearfork Reservoir Park. The officer saw Williams and the woman engaging in a sex act.
The Mansfield Police Department previously told CP that Williams was arrested for the charge, but Williams denied this in an interview with CP. The pastor, who is also an aspiring politician, said the charge was due to political persecution.
“I wasn’t arrested. It’s politically motivated,” Williams told CP before insisting he would make no further comment.
Last November, Williams made an unsuccessful run for Richland County commissioner while touting the work his ministry has done in the community.
“Aaron is a pillar of the Mansfield community who has worked tirelessly through his ministry to make everyone he meets thrive,” Richland, Ohio, Democrats noted on Instagram last October. “Aaron is dedicated to creating a positive future for the youth of our community and wants to use county resources to help curtail violence that has plagued our region. Aaron is an incredible advocate for the everyday needs of Richland County residents.”
On his church’s website, Williams is presented as the son of the church’s late pastor, a “devoted husband,” “proud father of three beautiful daughters,” and a Gulf War veteran who is deeply committed to his community.
“Above all,” states the church, “Pastor Williams lives to please God, serve His people, and inspire transformation in everyone he encounters.”
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