A 64-year-old former youth deacon in Blount County has been arrested on felony child sex charges, a case that has rattled Maryville families after investigators said the alleged abuse stretched over several years while he was serving in a church role.
Blount County Sheriff James Lee Berrong said investigators arrested Donald Jeffrey Clark of Apple Creek Drive in Louisville and charged him with sexual battery by an authority figure and continuous sexual abuse of a child. According to the sheriff, the investigation began in December after a parent reported suspected abuse, and detectives later uncovered sexually suggestive text messages and alleged assaults dating back to 2021. Berrong added there was "no evidence that any of the abuse occurred on church property" as the inquiry continues, according to WVLT.
What The Charges Mean
Sexual battery by an authority figure is charged when someone in a position of trust or supervisory power uses that role to carry out unlawful sexual contact with a victim who is a minor or otherwise vulnerable. In Tennessee, that offense is treated as a felony. The charge of continuous sexual abuse of a child targets repeated acts over a period of time and allows prosecutors to treat an alleged pattern of abuse as its own felony count, with penalties that can vary depending on the specific facts of the case. The statutes and penalties are laid out in Tennessee law, according to FindLaw.
How The Case Unfolded
Berrong said deputies opened the inquiry after a parent came forward in December and that the alleged conduct first occurred in 2021. Clark was booked into the Blount County Correctional Facility and later released on a $250,000 bond. He is due back in court at 9 a.m. on April 13, according to public remarks from the sheriff's office reported by WVLT. Investigators have not said whether they expect additional charges or potential additional victims as the case unfolds.
Local Context
Allegations involving long-term abuse have drawn steady attention in Blount County in recent years, and cases like this one tend to ripple quickly through close-knit church communities. The Blount County Sheriff's Office posts information on reporting tips and public resources for families on its website, according to the Blount County Sheriff's Office.
Clark is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty in a court of law. The April 13 hearing will determine whether the case moves on to indictment or further pretrial proceedings. Court filings and official statements are expected to shed more light on the allegations as the investigation continues.
