Jason Lee Allen was found guilty of sexually motivated misdemeanor battery after prosecutors said he reached under a 24-year-old woman’s skirt. (Credit: Braxton County Prosecuting Attorney)
SUTTON, W.Va - A West Virginia pastor was found guilty of sexually motivated misdemeanor battery after prosecutors said he reached up a young woman’s skirt and touched her leg and thigh during a private spiritual counseling session.
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Jason Lee Allen, 53, of Braxton County, had originally been charged by the West Virginia State Police in November 2025.
According to testimony presented during the trial, Allen — pastor of Victory Apostolic Church in Flatwoods — was accused of reaching under the skirt of a 24-year-old female member of his congregation and touching her leg and thigh during a private counseling session focused on spiritual matters.
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Prosecutors argued the contact occurred while Allen was alone with the woman. Allen denied wrongdoing, claiming the allegations were fabricated and describing the accuser as dishonest.
During the trial, the court reviewed a recorded interview conducted by investigators in which Allen admitted to touching the woman’s leg during the counseling session. Allen initially told investigators he touched her lower calf to feel a scar, but later acknowledged he may have touched higher on her leg, eventually demonstrating contact from her calf to above her knee. Allen told investigators the woman had given him permission to touch her leg, a claim the victim disputed.
What's next:
Sentencing is scheduled for May 27, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. before Magistrate Skidmore. Allen faces a possible sentence of up to one year in jail.
Because the court determined the offense was sexually motivated, Allen will also be required to register as a sex offender for a period of 10 years.
The Source: Information in this story came from testimony and evidence presented during a two-day bench trial in Braxton County Magistrate Court, court findings issued by Magistrate John "Eric" Skidmore, and investigative materials from the West Virginia State Police. This story was reported from Los Angeles.