Civil lawsuit filed against convicted church youth leader

ROCK HILL, S.C. — A civil lawsuit was filed against a former officer and youth leader who was already convicted of crimes against children.

Warrants: Officer arrested for child sex crimes was a church youth leader

Erikson Lee was a youth leader at MorningStar Fellowship Church when defense attorneys said he gave young boys alcohol, and vapes, and sexually abused them.

The senior pastor of the church and other leaders were also named in those lawsuits.

An attorney representing the family said they want accountability from leadership because they believe the acts could have been prevented.

“We want accountability and responsibility from anyone that was involved in allowing an environment to exist that created a situation here, young children were preyed upon by someone,” said attorney Randy Hood, McGowan Hood Felder, and Phillips Inc.

Attorneys said former Cornelius Police Officer Erikson Lee who was also a youth leader at MorningStar Fellowship Church oversaw a program called Young Special Forces.

Three civil lawsuits recently filed said, “At times from 2019-2022, Erickson Lee provided alcohol, vapes, and porn to children as young as thirteen years old … and eventually sexually exploited and abused multiple minor male children in a youth program at Morningstar.”

Other leaders knew what Lee was doing but were complicit, the lawsuit claims.

There are reports of similar unrelated incidents in the past, Hood said.

“This church leadership knew about previous instances of sexual assault or abuse,” the attorney said. “When that occurs, you create policies and procedures. You create situations where you monitor and supervise people to protect children.”

Church Pastor Rick Joyner, on Monday during a Zoom interview, denied claims that anyone was complicit with Lee’s acts.

He said he supports the investigation.

“We want to know the truth,” he said.

Joyner said the church conducted three background checks on Lee and as soon as he learned what Lee was doing, he removed him from working with children.

Joyner said they were blindsided and denied the accusations of a coverup.

The church is also investigating this incident, Joyner said.

Lee entered a guilty plea last week and was sentenced to nine years for sexual acts against four young people at the church.

Attorneys in the civil case said three young people have joined lawsuits and they’re hearing from others who may join.

VIDEO: Attorneys file suit against church over assaults