Renton police say a former Highlands Community Church youth pastor is now behind bars, accused of molesting one child and secretly filming another during church activities tied to the youth program. Officers arrested 53-year-old Derek Nelson on May 27 and booked him into the Thurston County Jail on suspicion of second-degree child molestation and first-degree voyeurism. Detectives say the allegations stretch across multiple years and believe there may be additional victims who have not yet come forward.
Police Say Arrest Capped A Lengthy Probe
Investigators took Nelson into custody as he was leaving work, then publicly urged anyone with information to contact them. According to FOX 13 Seattle, the current case includes an allegation that Nelson molested a 13-year-old in April 2015 and a separate accusation that he secretly watched a 17-year-old in February 2019. Reporting from the Renton Reporter notes that detectives are asking anyone who believes they were victimized to email Det. Scott Barfield at [email protected] and to reference case #21-3228.
Probable‑Cause Filing Lays Out One Alleged Incident
A probable-cause statement filed May 28 in Thurston County Superior Court describes one of the allegations tied to a 2015 church trip to the Great Wolf Lodge in Centralia. The document says a youth was brought into a changing room during the trip and then touched. According to the filing and local court records, a Renton detective reopened and renewed the review of the case in August 2024 after police were first contacted about the allegations in March 2021. The Olympian reports that Nelson made an initial court appearance on May 28 and was set for arraignment on June 3.
Church History And An Outside Investigation
Highlands Community Church previously brought in an outside firm after staff raised concerns about a pastor on staff. An independent GRACE investigation, later shared with the congregation, detailed allegations of grooming behavior and abusive conduct. That lengthy review and its findings sparked questions over how church leaders had handled earlier complaints, and Nelson’s arrest has put those concerns back in the spotlight for many in the Renton community. The independent report is part of the public record and has been summarized in local coverage and oversight reports.
How Washington Law Classifies The Alleged Crimes
Under Washington state law, the offenses in this case are treated as serious felonies. Second-degree child molestation is a class B felony defined in the state’s sex-offense chapter, and first-degree voyeurism is set out in the voyeurism statute. The criminal definitions appear in RCW chapter 9A.44, including RCW 9A.44.086, and sentencing rules for felony classifications are laid out in the state sentencing code at RCW 9A.20.021.
Detectives continue to ask anyone with information, or anyone who thinks they may have been a victim, to contact Det. Scott Barfield at [email protected] and reference case #21-3228. Law enforcement and court records form the basis for the arrest details and probable-cause narrative, and reporters noted that the church did not provide an immediate comment about Nelson’s arrest.
