Zachary Radcliff, a 29-year-old church employee from Washtenaw County, has been charged with criminal sexual conduct and related offenses. Radcliff, the music and youth director at Oakwood Church in Augusta Township, stands accused of soliciting child sexually abusive material from a minor. A statement released by Michigan State Police detailed the initiation of their investigation on October 2, according to CBS Detroit.
After being alerted to the accusations, law enforcement carried out search warrants at both Radcliff’s office and residence, as reported by FOX 2 Detroit. The investigation has so far identified multiple victims. Enveloped by a crisis that has stunned its community, Oakwood Church expressed deep dismay through a statement, "The information that we received was shocking. This information has ripped our hearts apart."
As the son of Oakwood’s senior pastor, Radcliff's employment status was initially suspended with pay on October 3, but was later terminated without pay on October 12, noted by WXYZ. The church has pledged to provide counseling for any youth or adults impacted by the crimes, reaffirming their commitment to safety and transparency during this period of tumult.
The church leadership and congregation have been shaken, cooperating transparently with authorities during the investigation. According to the statement obtained by CBS Detroit, "The State Police were notified by families that were involved and our church staff. We are not aware of the full extent of his crimes, and we are doing everything we can to cooperate with the ongoing police investigation."
Michigan State Police are urging any additional victims or those with relevant information to come forward. For contacting the investigating authority, people are encouraged to call Trooper Ryan at the Michigan State Police Brighton Post at 517-899-6174. Alternatively, the church is open for dialogue, providing the Oakwood pastors and staff contact details at 734-944-1215, or via email at [email protected].
