Affidavit Claims Oklahoma Pastor Used Sexual Abuse As Punishment For Adopted Daughters

News9.com

FAIRVIEW, Oklahoma -- An affidavit reveals disturbing details of the rape allegations against the former pastor of Midway Assembly of God Church in Fairview.

Tommy Pitts was arraigned Wednesday afternoon in a Major County courtroom. Hours before his court appearance, prosecutors released the probable cause affidavit against Pitts, which revealed how law enforcement learned of the accusations against him.

According to court documents, Pitts' wife of 31 years called the Major County Sheriff's Office on Thursday, March 31, to report her husband had molested the couple's three adopted daughters, who are sisters, and was threatening to kill himself. She told a deputy Pitts had a long-standing problem with pornography, and when she returned from visiting her grandchildren in Norman recently, she discovered several pornographic images featuring adults.

Pitts' wife told authorities she'd also noticed a change in his behavior toward their three, adopted daughters, and that he wanted to spend more time alone with them. On March 31, she became suspicious and questioned the youngest girl, asking if anything was going on. When Pitts' wife told the eight-year-old there were no secrets in their house, the child replied "Yes, there were."

According to the affidavit, the girl told her mother Pitts had touched her private parts. Pitts' wife then questioned the couple's 12-year-old adopted daughter. She initially denied anything was happening, but when her adoptive mother said the youngest child had already told her the truth, the 12-year-old broke down and admitted Pitts had molested her, as well.

Pitts' wife called him on his cell phone and demanded he come home so they could talk. After she hung up the phone, she questioned the nine-year-old daughter, who said Pitts had touched her genitals, and made her touch him.

When Pitts returned to the house, his wife confronted him with the accusations. She said at first, he denied anything happened, but he eventually admitted what he'd done and begged his wife not to call the police. Pitts' wife left him in the living room while she went to talk to the oldest child again.

The 12-year-old told her adoptive mother that when the girls were "bad" or broke a rule, Pitts would give them a choice of punishment. The girls would either have to receive a spanking, or touch Pitts' private parts.

When Pitts' wife returned to talk to him, he told her he wanted to leave and "take care of the problem." She said he then ripped the phone of the wall, dumped the contents of her purse on the floor and took the keys to her truck. She took the girls and ran to a neighbor's house to call police.

Pitts' wife told a Major County deputy about the rape allegations, and that Pitts planned to kill himself. Deputies found Pitts on the scene of a two-vehicle accident. The under-sheriff said when he told Pitts he was going to be arrested because he molested his children, Pitts said he had deliberately tried to hit a semi in an attempt to kill himself.

Pitts faces 15 counts of first-degree rape, 15 counts of rape by instrumentation, 20 counts of lewd acts with a child under 16, and 20 counts of forcible sodomy.

During his court appearance Wednesday, Pitts got choked up while addressing the judge. His wife was also present for the court appearance, but she refused to comment or even look at her husband.

If convicted, the pastor could spend life in prison. The judge kept the $1 million bond in place.

The town of Fairview is praying for the family. This is not the first incident of a parent being accused of abusing their adopted child in the small town. In 2009, a couple was accused of abusing a girl they adopted from Liberia.

More: Fairview Pastor Held On $1 Million Bond, Accused Of Molesting Adopted Daughters