American paedophile pastor of Minnesota arrested for sexually molesting five underage victims

Reviewing of evidences are still ongoing against Jackson Michael Gatlin of Vineyard Church for his sexual abuse case 

By Edward Era Barbacena 

Attorneys are still meticulously reviewing a substantial volume of evidence three months after the arrest and charges brought against Jackson Michael Gatlin, a former pastoral assistant at Vineyard Church in Duluth’s Kenwood neighborhood. Gatlin faces ten felony charges, ranging from first- to fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct, involving five separate cases.

Gatlin’s court appearance on Thursday, January 11, at the St. Louis County Courthouse marked a significant development in the case. Defense attorney Chris Stocke informed Judge Dale Harris that the evidence file contains hundreds of pages of discovery and hours of video collected during the lengthy investigation. Stocke requested approximately eight more weeks to thoroughly review the evidence before making decisions regarding probable cause or constitutional challenges.

St. Louis County prosecutor Michael Hagley confirmed that all discovery materials in their possession have been provided to the defense.

Acknowledging the complexity of the case, Judge Harris rescheduled the matter for March 7, allowing both sides more time to prepare.

The allegations against Gatlin are severe, with authorities accusing him of using the church as a “hunting ground” for preying on underage girls over the years. Allegations surfaced in October 2022 and were reported to the Duluth Police Department the following month. An outside organization was enlisted by a church committee to conduct an investigation.

The ensuing probe led to the identification of five potential victims, aged 11 to 16 at the time of the alleged abuse. The charges against Gatlin involve disturbing accounts of sexual misconduct and assault detailed by the victims.

Gatlin’s parents, who were senior leaders in the church, are accused of minimizing and denying allegations when they were brought to their attention. They have since resigned from their positions and moved out of state.

If convicted, Jackson Gatlin faces significant prison time, and he is currently under supervised release conditions, including avoiding contact with the victims or minors and refraining from alcohol, drugs, and pornography.