Hixson TN—The pastor of Middle Valley Methodist Church has been charged with three counts of statutory rape and three counts of sexual battery by an authority figure.

Authorities said Rev. Gregory Stanley Dempsey was interviewed at the County Jail and admitted to the allegations.

Bond was set at $75,000 by General Sessions Court Judge Bob Moon for Dempsey, 42. He made the bond.

County Det. Jimmy Clift said the alleged incidents involve a Soddy-Daisy male, who is now 19.

The youth said the incidents started when Rev. Dempsey was minister of music at the Oak Street Baptist Church. He had taken that position in early 2002.

The youth said he was in the minister's office at the Oak Street Baptist Church on July 12, 2003. He said the minister "confided he had a homosexual relationship when he was 16 years old."

He said the minister began to discuss sexual matters with him and showed him a book on sexual positions.

He said the minister placed a blindfold on him, removed his shorts and performed a sex act.

The youth said the same week he went to the minister's house on West Wind Drive. He said in the computer room of the house, the minister again performed a sex act on him.

He said the incidents continued at the minister's house between September 2003 and Thanksgiving 2003.

Rev. Dempsey is set to appear in General Sessions Court on May 26 at 8:30 a.m.

He has been suspended with pay from his minister position.

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