Anti-LGBTQ+ Pastor Silas Shelton Admits to Sex Crimes Against a Minor

Silas H. Shelton, a pastor from the U.S. state of Ohio who had previously spoken out against LGBTQ+ visibility in schools, has pleaded guilty to multiple sex offences involving a minor. Court records and local reporting show Shelton entered the plea on Monday, 20 April, just before his five-day trial was due to begin.

Shelton pleaded guilty to three third-degree felony counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, along with one misdemeanour count of menacing by stalking. In exchange, more serious charges, including rape, sexual battery, gross sexual imposition and arson, were dismissed. He is now due to be sentenced on 22 June.

According to police and court reporting, the abuse began in 2019 and involved a girl who was 14 or 15 at the time and a member of Shelton’s congregation at Blanchester Community Church. Investigators said the conduct continued for years, with alleged incidents taking place at Shelton’s home, at Cowan Lake and in hotel rooms.

Under the terms of the plea deal, Shelton faces a possible prison sentence of between three and 15 years. Local coverage also reports that he will be required to register as a sex offender, with one outlet stating he will be classified as a Tier II offender for 25 years.

The case has attracted additional attention because Shelton had previously made public appearances railing against LGBTQ+ content in schools. Reporting from 2025 noted that before his arrest, he had repeatedly complained at school board meetings about Pride flags and books, including Heartstopper, after seeing the graphic novel at his daughter’s school book fair.

That history has made the plea especially grimly resonant for many observers. A pastor who publicly cast queer visibility as a danger to children has now admitted to unlawful sexual conduct with a minor from his own church community. That final sentence is an inference based on the confirmed plea and his earlier public statements.

Last Updated on Apr 23, 2026