Lawsuit Alleges Arkansas Church Leaders Ignored Reports About Pastor Tony Waller

Six women filed a lawsuit this week in Craighead County Circuit Court alleging that leaders at Refuge Church in Jonesboro, Arkansas, and officials of the Assemblies of God repeatedly dismissed reports about children’s pastor Tony Waller. The complaint states that the earliest reports reached church leaders in 2000.

It says a senior pastor briefly suspended Waller around 2004 after girls found a hidden camera in a church bathroom, then reinstated him.

According to the lawsuit, girls told pastors about hidden cameras, required nude stretches before activities, and physical contact by Waller. The complaint alleges these reports continued for years with limited action by church officials. Waller’s wife contacted police in 2015 after discovering images on his computer. Waller pleaded guilty in 2016 to raping two girls and received a life sentence.

Davis, one of the plaintiffs, said she filed the suit to hold leaders accountable and to push for stricter child-protection policies. Her attorney, Joshua D. Gillispie, stated that church officials had evidence in 2004 yet chose not to contact police.

The General Council of the Assemblies of God said in a statement that it first learned of allegations in 2015, reported Waller to authorities, and revoked his credentials. Refuge Church did not respond to a request for comment for this article. Its former senior pastor, Mike Glover, denied negligence through his attorney.