West Virginia Pastor Found Guilty of Sexually Motivated Battery Following Counseling Session Allegations

SUTTON, W.Va. (BuzzReport) — A West Virginia pastor has been convicted of sexually motivated battery after prosecutors said he inappropriately touched a young woman during what was supposed to be a private spiritual counseling session.

Jason Allen, 53, pastor of Victory Apostolic Church in Sutton, was found guilty after evidence presented during trial showed he reached under the skirt of a 24-year-old woman and touched her leg and thigh while alone with her, according to the Braxton County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

Prosecutors argued that the encounter occurred under the guise of spiritual counseling, with the victim seeking guidance on personal and religious matters. Authorities said Allen used the private setting to make unwanted physical contact with the woman.

During the trial, Allen denied wrongdoing and claimed the victim fabricated the allegations. However, prosecutors introduced a video-recorded interview with law enforcement in which Allen admitted he touched the woman’s leg during the counseling session because he wanted to feel a “scar” on her calf.

According to prosecutors, Allen later acknowledged he may have touched higher up on her leg. He also claimed the woman had given him permission to touch her, an assertion the victim strongly disputed in court testimony.

The conviction marks the conclusion of a closely watched case in Braxton County that centered on issues of trust, authority, and alleged abuse within a religious counseling environment.

Allen is scheduled to be sentenced on May 27. He faces up to one year in jail under West Virginia law. In addition to possible incarceration, he will be required to register as a sex offender for 10 years following the conviction.

Officials have not indicated whether additional allegations or investigations involving Allen are pending.