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.
Travis Albers, a youth director at Trinity Reformed Church in Pella, Iowa, stands accused of two counts of lascivious acts with a child – inflict pain or discomfort, both class D felonies; and two counts of indecent contact with a child. Trinity Reformed is pastored by Chris Piersma, and is affiliated with The Gospel Coalition.
A former youth director at a Pella church is facing multiple charges of sexual abuse, according to court documents.
Travis Albers, 38, of rural Pella, has been charged with two counts of lascivious acts with a child – inflict pain or discomfort, both class D felonies; and two counts of indecent contact with a child.
According to court documents, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation in November 2022 after a juvenile victim made statements to officials that Albers had touched them inappropriately. At the time, Albers denied the allegations, police said in court documents.
On March 5, Albers was arrested on a warrant and released on a $14,000 bond. Albers waived a preliminary hearing that was originally scheduled for Thursday morning.
Albers was formerly employed as a youth director at Trinity Reformed Church in Pella. A statement issued by the Consistory of Trinity Church says the accusations do not involve any current or previous youth group members of the church. The church says it first placed Albers on administrative leave when they were first notified of the accusations last year, then fired him after his arrest March 5.
The church released the following statement:
“The Consistory of Trinity Church was informed back in November of 2022, that Travis Albers had criminal accusations made against him. As a result of this, the Executive Committee of the Consistory immediately placed Travis on administrative leave,” the statement says. “It is important to note that these accusations are not related to his work in Trinity’s youth ministries; the accusations do not involve any current or previous Youth Group members. Due to his arrest on March 5, 2023, the Consistory terminated his employment. Trinity will continue to shepherd Travis and his family.”
Note the carefully crafted statement: “It is important to note that these accusations are not related to his work in Trinity’s youth ministries; the accusations do not involve any current or previous Youth Group members.” The church forgot to add: “that we know of.” The church seems to want to obfuscate the fact that while allegedly committing these sex crimes, Albers was employed by the church. Good on him for not sexually molesting church children? Notice that no mention was made of his victims.
Bruce Gerencser, 67, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 46 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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Bruce, that “carefully crafted” statement is an example of why those of us who have experienced sexual violence from clergy members or church officials–or, for that matter, the officials of those institutions–distrust and even feel contempt for those institutions and their mouthpieces as for the individuals who abused us.