A former Michigan youth pastor with connections to Liberty University and members of Donald Trump's family is facing 60 criminal charges involving allegations of sexual abuse.
Zachary Radcliff, 31, formerly served as the music and youth director at Oakwood Church in Augusta Township, Michigan. Michigan State Police began investigating him in October 2024 after receiving information that he had allegedly solicited child sexually abusive material from a minor. He has not been convicted of the charges.
Criminal Case Has Expanded
Radcliff was initially arraigned on 11 felony charges, including first-degree criminal sexual conduct, child sexually abusive activity and offences involving the use of a computer or the internet.
By December 2024, the number of charges had risen to 33 as additional allegations were investigated. In March 2025, a judge added 30 more counts following testimony during a preliminary examination, bringing the total to 60. The additional counts included nine counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and 21 counts of child sexually abusive activity.
The allegations involve multiple young people and are said by investigators to date back to at least 2011. Earlier reporting identified alleged victims between 12 and 17 years old. Radcliff remains awaiting trial and has not been found guilty of the criminal allegations.
Liberty University Connection
Radcliff is a Liberty University graduate who performed at the university's 2019 Convocation and at a Liberty-hosted Conservative Political Action Conference event that year, according to The Roys Report.
His Liberty appearances also brought him into proximity with prominent figures connected to the Trump family. The Roys Report previously reported that a 2019 photograph showed Radcliff with Jerry Falwell Jr., Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle. Trump Jr. and Guilfoyle also attended the Liberty Convocation at which Radcliff performed.
These connections describe Radcliff's past associations and do not indicate that any of those individuals were involved in the alleged criminal conduct.
Civil Lawsuits Add Further Allegations
The criminal case has also been accompanied by civil litigation. A lawsuit filed in Washtenaw County Circuit Court in August by Devon Kelly, who testified during the 2025 preliminary examination, names Radcliff, Oakwood Baptist Church and three members of his family as defendants.
The complaint alleges sexual misconduct involving Kelly when he was a teenager and also makes claims about how church leaders allegedly responded to concerns about Radcliff. Those allegations have not been established at trial.
According to The Roys Report, the latest lawsuit is the fourth civil case connected to Radcliff and Oakwood. Earlier complaints have also alleged sexual misconduct and raised claims concerning the church's response to reports about Radcliff. The cases are separate from the criminal prosecution, and the first two civil cases have been stayed while the criminal prosecution proceeds.
Radcliff was dismissed by Oakwood Church in October 2024 after the investigation began. He remains subject to the criminal proceedings, with the allegations against him still to be determined through the court process.
As of 23 September 2026, Radcliff was still facing 60 criminal charges and four civil lawsuits, according to The Roys Report. Local 4 reported in June that the jury trial had been delayed to 2027 as the investigation continued.
