Douglas P. Jones, the longtime senior pastor of Welcome Missionary Baptist Church in Pontiac, Michigan, is expected to be arraigned before a Circuit Court Judge next Thursday, May 29, on a fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct charge.
Jones, 82, the senior pastor of the more than 4,000-member Pontiac church since 1989, pleaded not guilty to the charge at an arraignment on March 20. He posted a $10,000 bond that same day, The Christian Post previously reported.
Though Jones denied the charge, which stems from an alleged incident from August 2024, Judge Laura Polizzi determined there was enough evidence to bind the case to the higher court for possible trial after a preliminary exam in 52-3 District Court, according to The Oakland Press. He is set to be arraigned before Judge Mary Ellen Brennan.
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While all the details pertaining to the case aren’t immediately clear, it is alleged that family members of the plaintiff continue to attend Welcome Missionary Baptist Church. Fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct in Michigan indicates unwanted sexual contact but not penetration and is punishable by up to two years in prison.
When contacted for comment on the case Thursday, a representative of the church told CP they had nothing to say. The pastor’s lawyer, Cyril Hill, denied the allegation and previously told The Oakland Press that they were confident the case would be dismissed.
An announcement on the church’s website states that it is set to celebrate their pastor for his 36 years of faith, leadership and vision on Sunday, June 8, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
“Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the word and doctrine,” the announcement declared, quoting I Timothy 5:17.
Jones, who has served on many boards and is recognized for his work with local youth, has been described as a “pillar” of the Pontiac community, according to the Oakland Community Health Network.
The Cincinnati, Ohio, native is also a father of three daughters and a grandfather, according to the church.
Pastor Keyon Payton previously noted in a statement on Facebook that Jones suffered the loss of his wife and a daughter in recent years.
“Beyond his decades of ministry, Pastor Jones has … endured profound personal loss. The passing of his wife of many years, followed by the tragic death of his daughter, has compounded his grief in ways that few can understand. And yet, like so many pastors, he likely felt the pressure to keep going — to push through, to lead, to serve — while carrying an unbearable weight,” Payton wrote.
“The psychological toll of such grief and stress is immeasurable, and for many, it leads to unprocessed pain that manifests in ways they never intended.”
He further asserted that while Jones isn’t a “perfect man,” he is “a good man.”
“In my 20 plus years of pastoral ministry, I cannot begin to fathom the depth of sacrifices he has made over his lifetime of service,” Payton said. “His generation of pastors gave of themselves in ways that few outside of ministry can fully comprehend — often at great personal cost to their health, their families, and their own emotional well-being.”
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