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Update: Black Collar Crime: Methodist Worship Leader Stacy Digby Accused of Sexual Assault, Charges Dismissed

stacy digby

The Black Collar Crime Series relies on public news stories and publicly available information for its content. If any incorrect information is found, please contact Bruce Gerencser. Nothing in this post should be construed as an accusation of guilt. Those accused of crimes are innocent until proven guilty.

In 2018, Stacy Digby, a volunteer worship leader at Highfill United Methodist Church in Highfill, Arkansas, was arrested on charges of “sexual Indecency with a child and sexual assault in the first degree.” (Digby’s mother said he was the church’s worship leader. A Raw Story report says Digby was a lay leader.) Digby was also the mayor of Highfill, Arkansas. After his arrest, Digby resigned from office. According to an earlier NWA report, Digby has previously been investigated on suspicion of having an inappropriate relationship with a minor. When asked about the charges levied against Digby, Highfill pastor Russ Hall said, “I would vouch for his character.”

NWA reports:

On January 8, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a possible inappropriate relationship between Stacy Digby and a 17-year-old girl.

Community and church members voiced their concerns about the interactions between the girl and Digby. The police report lists one such instance at a local bowling alley where the bowling alley manager and a woman saw the teen sitting on Digby’s lap.

When taken in for questioning, the 17-year-old told police she did stay the night at Digby’s home, but only once when her sister, Digby’s kids and his girlfriend were there.

The teen told police she had known Digby for six years, but she started to really hang out with him about four years ago.

On January 10, police questioned her grandmother and younger sister. The younger sister confirmed the 17-year-old and Digby met up several times in public and private. She also stated Digby and the 17-year-old started the relationship about four years ago.

The younger sister also confirmed to police the 17-year-old kept in communication with Digby through text. The two would send each other numerous photos including pictures of genitalia.

On January 24, detectives went to Digby’s parent’s house, where they believed he was hiding his computer. During the conversation, Digby’s mother said he was the worship leader at Highfill United Methodist Church and was pretty much the second person in charge besides the actual pastor himself. After obtaining a warrant, detectives seized a 500GB external hard drive from Digby’s parent’s milk barn.

On January 29, investigators interviewed an ex-girlfriend of Digby’s about the case.

The ex-girlfriend told police Digby confessed to having pictures of the 17-year-old and to having sexual intercourse since she was 12 or 13 years old.

Digby was arrested on Wednesday, March 28, and faces charges of Sexual Indecency with a Child and Sexual Assault in the First Degree.

In 2019, the charges against Digby were dismissed.

40/29 News reported at the time:

Charges against former Highfill Mayor Stacy Digby have been dropped, Benton County Prosecutor Nathan Smith told 40/29 News, because the victim is not cooperating in the case.

Digby resigned from office shortly before his arrest in March 2018, according to Blake Webb, Highfill Police Chief. He was charged with Sexual Assault in the 1st Degree.

In January 2018, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office announced it was investigating Digby on the possibility of an inappropriate relationship between him and a juvenile. A search warrant was executed as his house on that date.

“The wishes of the victim are always important in deciding how to proceed in a criminal case. Over the course of multiple meetings between prosecutors and the victim, she repeatedly stated her desire not to participate in the prosecution of this case,” Smith told 40/29 News.

“The victim is now an adult and able to make her own decisions. Her decision not to cooperate made the continued prosecution of this case impossible. I respect the victim’s decision and wish her the best in her future,” Smith said.

Digby’s attorney, Shane Wilkinson, told 40/29 he always thought this was the end result.

Wilkinson said what Digby was arrested for wasn’t actually a crime, and he’s glad the charge was dropped.

Bruce Gerencser, 66, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 45 years. He and his wife have six grown children and thirteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.

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