A leader of a Christian & Missionary Alliance church in Ketchikan, Alaska, connected to convicted sex offender and former Chi Alpha leader Daniel Savala is charged with sexually abusing a minor.
Dwight “Chris” John, 71, who served on the governing board at Clover Pass Community Church, faces 14 charges of first, second, and third-degree sexual abuse of a minor, and three related class C felony charges, KRBD radio in Ketchikan reported.
Clover Pass is the same church where Savala, who has been identified as the “spiritual mentor” of a former Chi Alpha minister charged with sexual abuse of a child in Texas, served as a youth leader from 1995 to 1997.
Chi Alpha World Fellowship is a network of Christian ministries sponsored by the Assemblies of God with a presence on more than 300 college campuses.
Savala pleaded guilty to one charge of third-degree sexual abuse of a minor in Ketchikan in 2012 and was sentenced to two years in prison with all but 90 days of the sentence suspended. He went on to serve with several Chi Alpha Ministries chapters in Texas.
Alaska State Troopers said John admitted to sexually abusing a minor on Prince of Wales Island and when the child came to Ketchikan. The alleged victim, who is now a teenager, said the abuse began around age nine and continued through November of last year.
When interviewed by investigators, John said the abuse began earlier, when the child was five or six, and said, “it was all for” the child, “it wasn’t for me.” Law enforcement officials said he also corroborated all the alleged events during a monitored phone call with the victim’s father.
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John told the child’s father during the call that he considered not taking the position on the church’s board because of the abuse, then decided to take it because he felt God had forgiven him.
Christopher Hundl, 38, of Waco, the former leader of the Chi Alpha chapter at Baylor University, was arrested last month for allegedly encouraging two boys under the age of 15 to perform sexual acts in a sauna, witnessed by Savala. The improper sexual activity allegedly happened at Savala’s Houston home as well as in a sauna at Hundl’s home in Waco.
Hundl told police he had considered Savala a “spiritual mentor” since he was in college, and that Savala considered masturbation a “spiritual activity.”
Savala was arrested June 2 and charged with continuous sexual abuse of a young child.
Baylor suspended Chi Alpha’s charter after law enforcement officials began investigating Hundl and Savala, spurred by referrals from Child Protective Services.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Why does MinistryWatch report on sex crimes? These stories are tough to read and sometimes even tougher to report, but we think they are vital to our mission to bring transparency, accountability, and credibility to the evangelical church. To read more about why and how we report these stories, read “Why MinistryWatch Reports On Sex Crimes.” You can find that story here.
Main photo: Clover Pass Community Church in Ketchikan, Alaska / Photo via Facebook