DULUTH — A former youth pastor pleaded guilty Wednesday to sexually assaulting multiple girls under his supervision and agreed to be sentenced to 13 years in prison.

But accepting criminal liability for Jackson Michael Gatlin’s victims is only a “first step.” The plea hearing was immediately followed by the announcement of 10 civil lawsuits demanding accountability from the local and national Vineyard Church and several officials.

“The church allowed Jackson to use his position of power and authority to harm the children and me,” victim Hannah Howg said. “The hypocrisy, grooming and gaslighting were truly some of the most damaging aspects. Part of me still feels like I’m stuck in that headspace with him. It keeps me up at night. It’s gnawing at me. “Most of the time, I have trouble even sleeping, let alone eating.”

Gatlin served as a volunteer and paid pastoral assistant at the Kenwood neighborhood church from 2007-23. His parents, Michael and Brenda Gatlin, were senior pastors of the church and were also involved in the church’s national leadership.

Various investigations were launched, with court files showing the Gatlins.

allowed his sons to use the church youth group as a “hunting ground”

(Hunting) underage girls for years with no consequences before the police stepped in in 2022.

The known victims range in age from approximately 11 to 16, authorities said.

“These crimes were not isolated incidents,” said Spencer Kuvin, a nationally known attorney who represented the victims. “The culture of fear, spiritual manipulation, and abuse that occurred at the Vineyard Church both locally and nationally was the root cause behind these events.”

Wyatt Buckner / 2024 file / Duluth Media Group

St. Under extensive questioning by St. Louis County prosecutors Mike Ryan and Jacqueline Primeau, Gatlin did not object to the underlying allegations. He pleaded guilty to five counts of sexual offenses ranging from first degree to fourth degree.

But he acknowledged only one incident and expressed Alford’s request on the remaining matters. The Alford plea allows the defendant to maintain his innocence while asking the court to file a criminal complaint based on the strength of the evidence against him.

In his only direct defense, Gatlin admitted that he began texting a 14-year-old girl outside of group sessions. He eventually invited her to his parents’ home in the Lakeside neighborhood and they had sexual intercourse. Both were under the age of consent and he held a position of authority that made this behavior illegal.

The former priest acknowledged that many other victims and witnesses would testify about similar incidents.

One case involved allegations that Gatlin forced an 11-year-old boy to engage in sexual intercourse during a bus ride to the Twin Cities. In another, a victim’s mother reportedly called Brenda Gatlin to report her son’s attempted assault, but the senior pastor reportedly hung up.

Complaints were filed against five separate victims, but the other five were not charged for many reasons. Judge Dale Harris granted the following motion:

prosecutors were allowed to present evidence of other crimes or bad acts at each hearing

to prove his motives and behavior.

Reaching a plea agreement would allow Gatlin to avoid a series of trials.

The first one was less than two weeks away.

Both he and the victims signed the 13-year sentence.

Harris revoked Gatlin’s bail and ordered him immediately jailed, with a two-day sentencing hearing set for Nov. 25-26.

Kuvin, the Florida-based lawyer retained by the victims, is known for representing the accusers of billionaire financier Jeffrey Epstein and comedian Bill Cosby. His firm worked with Duluth’s Falsani, Balmer, Peterson & Balmer to bring the civil suit.

Tom Olsen / Duluth Media Group

In addition to the three Gatlins, Duluth Vineyard and Vineyard USA are also named in the complaints, Kuvin said. Kuvin said they have been notified and a lawsuit is expected to be filed in State District Court in the coming days.

Nine cases involve personal injury claims, while the other case alleges wrongful death. Jeanne Filkins tearfully described the loss of her daughter Kacey to suicide in 2022.

“In the last years of his life, he often talked about the pain that Jackson Gatlin and the church had caused,” Filkins said, “and how it had made him feel diminished as a person. He felt that this colored his understanding of love and relationships.

Tom Olsen / Duluth Media Group

Filkins, who is also Howg’s mother-in-law, described the young women as “beautiful, strong and gorgeous.” He accused the priests of “harming the flock they are responsible for protecting and further damaging the reputation of the Christian church.”

Victim Vanessa Josephson said she, too, spent 16 years struggling with depression, anxiety, “overwhelming feelings of hopelessness” and suicidal thoughts. He was relieved that the deal would at least require Gatlin to serve prison time and register as a sex offender for life.

Myrissa Overfors said Wednesday’s developments were probably just due to “wonderful women standing up together to support each other.”

“To finally have a sense of justice for myself and others after struggling for 17 years is huge and powerful,” he said. “I stand here today knowing that all of this is possible because of the courage to use our voices and stand up for what is right.”

Jackson Gatlin

Expelled by church in February 2023

after refusing to participate in an investigation. His parents also resigned or were removed from their local and national positions and reportedly moved out of state.

Duluth Vineyard

detailed timelines, resources and reports published on an ongoing basis

website since the beginning of the investigation.

The 96-page report was prepared by the nonprofit Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment.

Kuvin argued that civil lawsuits can bring accountability not only through financial penalties but also through the disclosure of new information.

“The discovery process of this civil case may allow us to uncover the facts that allowed this to happen,” the attorney said, “and hopefully other agencies and the Vineyard Church can fix this so it never happens again.”