Former Lexington Pastor Accused of Child Rape Appears in Court for Second Time

By Lucy Bryson

Published : Jul. 5, 2024, at 12:26 PM

LEXINGTON, KY – A former respected faith leader of the community, Zachary King, previously serving as pastor at LexCity Church, appeared in court once again in connection to sensational allegations that he violated a minor in his church. A tense courtroom debate about the bond on Friday morning saw King’s team arguing that the amount was disproportionately high in this situation.

“A bond of a quarter of a million dollars for someone who turned himself in with no prior record, I don’t believe is a reasonable bond,” emphasized King’s attorney. However, the prosecution insisted on maintaining the bond, with the presiding judge siding with them, saying, “Because there hasn’t been a change, I’m looking at two Class B felonies and then four additional Class D felonies. I see no reason why this should be changed at the time.” The bond remains at a hefty $250,000 full cash. King’s apprehension occurred on July 1.

Chilling Details Revealed in Arrest Citation

The chilling details surfaced in King’s arrest citation where he confessed to police about his sordid acts in different locations including the minor’s home, his residence, and his vehicle. King was even said to have committed the crime within the church where he was pastoring. The document pointed out that King would summon messages and sexually explicit images to the minor through various messaging apps.

In an interview with police, the minor outlined how King coerced her into specific acts. Despite the allegations, when King first appeared before a judge on Tuesday, he pleaded not guilty. The church released an empathetic statement about the grief and decided to cancel services this Sunday:

“Pain and hurt are never the wishes of any church. So, the leadership of LexCity Church is deeply grieved at the pain and hurt caused by a former staff member’s alleged actions, which affect so many in so many ways. Our hearts and prayers go out to the victim, their families, and those wounded by this.”

The church also vowed full cooperation with the ongoing police investigation and declined to comment further due to the investigation’s active status. The case is now being forwarded to the Fayette County Grand Jury for further examination.