An associate youth pastor in Clay County, Missouri, is facing several charges for sex crimes involving a teenager.

Donald Aaron Axtell has been charged with felony statutory rape, possession of child pornography and furnishing pornographic material to a minor, the Clay County Prosecutor's Office announced. Advertisement

"The alleged offense not only constitutes a serious violation of the law, but a grievous betrayal of trust placed with an associate youth pastor to shepherd our community's children," said Clay County Prosecutor Zach Thompson in a news release.

According to court documents, a victim reported to Excelsior Springs police officers earlier this week that she had been sexually assaulted by Axtell, who was her youth pastor, since 2023.

The victim, who was reportedly 15 in Ap

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