Executive Summary
- Televangelist Joseph Lyle Campbell, 68, was arrested in Missouri on charges originating from Oklahoma.
- The indictment alleges first-degree rape and lewd acts with minors occurred in 1984 while Campbell was a youth pastor in Tulsa.
- Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond described the alleged crimes as “horrific” and an exploitation of authority.
- U.S. Marshals apprehended Campbell in Elkland, Missouri; he is currently held without bond pending extradition.
Joseph Lyle Campbell, a nationally known pastor and televangelist, was arrested in Missouri on December 17 following an indictment in Oklahoma accusing him of rape and lewd acts involving minors dating back to the 1980s. The 68-year-old is currently being held as a fugitive from justice pending extradition proceedings.
According to the indictment filed in Oklahoma, Campbell faces charges of first-degree rape and lewd or indecent acts to a child under the age of 16. Prosecutors allege that the crimes occurred in 1984 while Campbell was employed as the youth pastor at the Eastland Assembly of God Church in Tulsa. Specific allegations in the court documents state that between May 1 and October 1, 1984, Campbell raped an 11- or 12-year-old girl in the garage of his home. Additionally, he is accused of sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl at the church premises between March and December of that same year.
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond commended the grand jurors for the indictment. “The crimes alleged in the indictment are horrific,” Drummond stated in a press release. “There can be no tolerance for child sex predators, particularly adults who exploit their positions of authority and the faith of their victims.” Drummond added that his office intends to work vigorously to ensure justice for the women involved.
The arrest was executed by the U.S. Marshals Service. According to a news release from the agency, the U.S. Marshals Northern Oklahoma Violent Crimes Task Force tracked Campbell to the Springfield, Missouri area. Investigators from the Western District of Missouri subsequently located and arrested him in Elkland. Clayton Johnson, U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of Oklahoma, stated that the agency hopes the arrest will assist in bringing closure to victims who have been affected for decades.
Campbell’s religious career includes appearances on the PTL Television Network, founded by Jim Bakker. Following his tenure at the Tulsa church in the mid-1980s, NBC News reported that he worked at the First Assembly of God in Siloam Springs. More recently, he served as a pastor at Morningside in Blue Eye, Missouri, and established the Lakeside Family Worship in the Missouri Ozarks. Authorities indicated in their release that Campbell is accused by multiple women of abuse spanning more than 40 years.
Judicial Process and Extradition
Campbell is currently listed on the Greene County jail roster without bond. As the charges originate in Oklahoma, the immediate procedural focus will be on the extradition process to transfer the defendant across state lines. Historical cases of this nature, involving allegations from decades past, often present complex legal challenges regarding the preservation of evidence and witness testimony. However, statutes of limitations for serious felony sex crimes often allow for prosecution long after the alleged events, depending on state laws at the time of the offense or subsequent legislative changes. It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
