West Virginia youth pastor faces dozens of child sex abuse charges dating back decades

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A youth pastor in West Virginia has been arrested on dozens of sex charges involving children in three counties, some involving relatives dating back more than three decades, state police said.

John W. Radcliff II was arrested last week on 190 counts including sexual assault, sexual abuse and incest, state police said in a news release. His wife, Kathy Radcliff, is charged with knowing the alleged abuse occurred, the statement said.

The alleged crimes occurred in Braxton, Lewis and Harrison counties. State police said the investigation “remains ongoing with more victims coming forward” and that additional charges are pending.

John Radcliff, 57, is being held on $1.7 million bond, and Kathy Radcliff is being held on $75,000 bond. Both are at the Central Regional Jail in Sutton.

John Radcliff appeared for a preliminary hearing Friday in Lewis County Magistrate Court. James Hawkins Jr., who represents Radcliff in the Lewis County case, said those charges involve alleged crimes against five of his nieces that occurred between 1987 and 1996 and were unrelated to Radcliff's association as a youth pastor.

Radcliff “is adamant about his innocence and looks forward to the opportunity when he can present a defense on these charges,” Hawkins said in a telephone interview.

Online records didn't indicate whether Kathy Radcliff, 52, has an attorney who could comment on the charges against her in Lewis County.

The state police statement said Trooper R.C. Watson began investigating John Radcliff in October stemming from an investigation that another trooper began in 2004. The statement didn't detail the results of the 2004 investigation. WDTV-TV reported no charges were filed at the time. Watson didn't immediately return a telephone message Tuesday.

“We’re trying to figure out what happened with the (2004) case and why it wasn’t pursued then,” Hawkins said.