Married pastor from from the Lexington, Kentucky, arrested on child sex charges for relationship with minor that he claims was ‘consensual’

Zachary King, 47, a former pastor at LexCity Church in Lexington, was arrested on Monday on charges of rape, sodomy and sexual abuse

He confessed to the sex crimes telling authorities that he had ‘sexual intercourse in the minor’s home, at his residence, and at the church where he was a former pastor

King, who is married, admitted to Lexington police that the relationship lasted from January 2023 through April 2024

At King’s arraignment in Fayette County District Court Tuesday, bond was set at $250,000

Zachary King, [photo], a pastor at LexCity Church in Lexington, was arrested on Monday on charges of rape, sodomy and sexual abuse. The 47-year-old married clergyman admits the relationship with the fifteen-year-old girl began in January 2023 and lasted until April 2023

A Kentucky pastor has been arrested on child sex charges for having an illicit relationship with a minor that he claims was ‘consensual.’
Zachary King, 47, the former pastor at LexCity Church in Lexington, was arrested on Monday on charges of rape, sodomy and sexual abuse, according to the arrest citation.
The 47-year-old married clergyman admitted to Lexington police that the relationship with the 15-year-old lasted from January 2023 through April 2024.

King resigned as pastor of the Lexington City Church, [photo], after the congregation confronted him about the allegations

According to a Lex 18 News report, King allegedly confessed to the sex crimes telling police that he had ‘sexual intercourse in the minor’s home, at his residence, and at the church where he was a former pastor.’
He communicated with the teen through Snapchat and WhatsApp, and would ‘receive sexually explicit images’ from her on the social platform.
After members of the church confronted him about the allegations, he resigned from his position, as per the citation.  
During his arraignment in Fayette County District Court Tuesday afternoon, King’s attorney asked the judge to set King’s bond at $50,000, and allow him to pay 10 percent of that, $5,000, to get out.
Judge John Tackett instead set the bond at $250,000.

Former pastor King is seen [right], smiling during the baptism of a member of the church. He has since resigned his position 

King told the podcast Off the Record hosted by Pastor Brian Classen about his relationship with his wife back in February 2022. 
He revealed: ‘At times, where I am frustrated and my needs are not being met – and annoyed by things I shouldn’t be annoyed by – is when my wife and I are disconnected and we haven’t talked about it and we just kind of let it sit.
‘We become really good co-parents and roommates in those seasons – where it’s like we just got to get the kids to the next place and get through the next day, almost like surviving until you can go to bed.
‘So things that wouldn’t never really bother me normally you are treating the symptoms, but you are not treating the root of the problem and I just have to sit there and pray and ask the Lord to reveal the root – typically it’s me – my frustration is actually something I’m not doing – so it is really not you it’s me in this scenario.’
He also said of his marriage: ‘I actually find I am guilty of not just comparing your partner to someone else, but comparing them to the former them.’