A Michigan pastor has been fired and charged after he allegedly admitted to planting a hidden camera in a church bathroom to spy on other employees, church officials said.
Will Johnson, who served as the worship pastor director of Brighton’s 2|42 Community Church, was questioned by other church leaders after a staff member found the camera inside “a non-public, unisex bathroom in the backstage area,” executive pastor of ministry operations Eric Rauch told the Detroit News.
According to Rauch, Johnson admitted to putting the camera in the restroom and was immediately terminated from his position.
The disgraced pastor, 37, then purportedly confessed to Livingston County sheriff’s detectives that he had planted the camera in the bathroom intermittently over the last two years to peep on specific church personnel.
Rauch said Johnson was arrested on Friday and charged on Sunday with tampering with evidence, surveilling an unclothed person, and using a computer to commit a crime.
“We are shocked and deeply saddened by this situation, as the protection, safety and privacy of every person who enters our church is our priority,” Rauch said, adding that 2|42 Community Church is “cooperating fully with the sheriff’s office investigation and is taking proactive steps, including engaging with a third-party investigator, to ensure the safety of all our facilities.”
The church announced the disturbing allegations to its congregation in a Facebook post asking people to “please pray” for victims and everyone impacted:
Please pray. For the victims. For our church. For everyone impacted.
Posted by 242 Community Church on Sunday, September 15, 2024
Johnson, who worked at the church for five years according to WWMT, is in custody at the Livingston County Jail with a bond of $250,000.
He is due to appear in court on September 24.
If convicted of all charges, he faces a maximum of eight years in prison.
