Brock Miller, a former pastor at the Grace Cathedral megachurch in Cuyahoga Falls, has accused televangelist Rev. Ernest Angley of sexually abusing and harassing him. The allegations were detailed in a criminal complaint filed Wednesday in Summit County Common Pleas Court.
Last January, Miller recounted the events of the assault and abuse to the Akron Beacon Journal, which he says took place on and off for nine years from when he was 18 until he turned 27.
Miller resigned in July 2014 after telling his family that, despite his deep love for the Cuyahoga Falls church, he simply could no longer deal with Angley’s continued abuse. Upon resignation, Miller moved to South Carolina to try and start anew, but he said Angley’s actions have followed him no matter where he goes.
“It doesn’t matter where I go,” he said in the interview with the Beacon Journal. “I’m never going to be able to escape this. It’s time to face it and to expose this man for the evil man that he is.
The lawsuit also claims that Angley forced Miller to undergo a vasectomy six months before his marriage in 2004 at age 19, and was subjected to inspection of his genitals and repeated questioning about the sexual details of his marriage.
While Miller says that Angley never physically touched his genitals, he did tell the Beacon Journal that his boss required him to disrobe and masturbate in front of him.
In 2014, The Washington Post reported that the church denied the accusations of 21 former followers that Angley ignored sexual abuse at the church and pressured congregants to get abortions and vasectomies.
Miller’s lawsuit seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages, and lists Twinsburg lawyer Robert Pecchio as Miller’s attorney. The lawsuit says the plaintiff “suffered severe and permanent injuries, great pain of body and mind, mental anguish, and required psychological and medical treatment” as a result of Angley’s conduct and also was subjected to an unsafe work environment.
Angley, now aged 97, did not respond to requests for comment from the Beacon Journal or from WOIO-TV. He has declined through a church receptionist to be further interviewed since denying the claims in 2014.
This article appears in Aug 22-28, 2018.
Disgruntled former employees either lash out in bitterness and hatred through violence at their former bosses or co-workers, or in this case (so far) want money in a civil suit. I’m not defending or on anyone’s side, but our American culture has become a place where tabloid ‘news’ runs rampant and it doesn’t matter to some people if the accusations are not true as long as it’s against someone they don’t like for whatever reason. Some celebrities I know, who are innocent, have also been falsely accused, their careers put on hold, until sometime years later the accuser recants and said they lied. That ex-youth pastor already admitted in print to accepting drugs from a friend and before that reportedly bragged about his new mate (he left his wife) on his own Facebook page, which has since been edited. It was reported that some of his own family said they caught him in lies. He eventually resigned (was not fired) according to reports. And the accused already denied the claims. Either this man’s attorney (accuser was an adult when his alleged things took place) hasn’t diligently researched his client’s past history, or maybe he wants the notoriety. They have to advertise somehow and this is free advertising, or it’s something else. Americans must try to continue our court heritage of innocent until proven guilty. That’s what makes this nation different to some others in the world. We’re losing that thinking due to the internet culture and tabloid journalism.
the ex-pastor backslid and now he is claiming false reports against the pastor who has preached for many years and his life has portrayed how he lives by the way he serves god and helps others. i have known pastor angley for a long time and have never been treated wrong like this man is accusing him of. pastor angley gives himself so completely to the work of god and my life is different because of his teachings..i have been healed from different things and i can not thank god enough for being able to go to a church and hear the words of life that means so much to me. my family has been blessed by this ministry as well. i thank god for rev. angleys life in jesus and his holy living and his love for all people. any body who wants to receive from god can come and join in on a wednesday ,friday, saturday sunday and be blessed.