OKC Church allows convicted sex offender to hold leadership position

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - A local pastor convicted of multiple sex misconduct crimes, including those involving minors, still appears to hold a leadership position at Antioch Institutional Baptist Church.

Darris Turner, a former Mid-Del Public Schools substitute teacher, was fired in October of 2018 after being arrested for soliciting sex from a minor and exhibition of obscene materials to minor child.

He later pled guilty to a number of crimes, including Importing/Distributing Obscene Material or Child Pornography, Sexual Battery of a Person Over 16, and Soliciting Sexual Conduct with a Minor, and was placed on the Oklahoma Sex Offender Registry.

A recently filed violation report by Turner's probation officer notes "several telephone calls from concerned citizens from the church" saying Turner is a pastor, has done baptisms with children and sings in the choir.

Turner told his probation officer he was an "assistant minister", but church members told KFOR by email that Turner is still considered the main pastor.

A church advertisement posted as a Facebook cover photo back in March lists Turner as "Pastor" of the congregation, which meets weekly at 507 N. Bath Circle in OKC.

The report notes that when the officer spoke with Turner about the allegations including baptisms with children, he stated that he "did not do the baptism, but I was up there and helped".

However, the conditions of Turner's probation state that he cannot have any kind of contact with children under the age of eighteen.

He also cannot hold "any authoritative position" at a church, including preaching, choir, helping with baptisms, or greeting guests.

According to the report, Turner was advised that he could still attend the church as a member and sit with the rest of the congregation.

While this is not a rule for sex offenders, it is a policy for Turner, due to previous contact with minors.

Turner is later quoted as saying "he doesn't understand why this was a big deal".

The former pastor of the church told KFOR he doesn't believe the current church leadership initially knew about Turner's past.

"Once they found out what happened, they had a choice to either keep him or reject him. They decided to keep him knowingly," said James Harris, saying the issue has caused trouble for the church, and people have been hurt.

"We can't turn a blind eye to things like this," he added, also saying he confronted Turner about the issue.

"I said, ' Whatever you did you were convicted, you're on probation and if you're not following through with that, then you're wrong that's just the bottom line,' " he said.

"Being a pastor is not just a title. I'm not saying you can't be in ministry, but there are places in ministry for you to be," he said.

Church leadership did not respond to phone calls from the station.

As for Turner, the probation violation report also says he wasn't keeping up with sex offender treatment and required polygraph tests.

The report has been sent to the District Attorney's Office and the original judge in the case for review.