Joe Campbell, a longtime children’s minister and self-styled spiritual leader, has been arrested on multiple child sex abuse charges after decades of unaddressed allegations.

Authorities apprehended Campbell, 68, in Elkland, Missouri, on December 17 following a renewed investigation into allegations stretching back to the 1970s and 1980s, sparked by victims' persistence and a recent NBC News exposé, as NBC News reports.

U.S. marshals arrested Campbell at Camp Bell, the Christian youth camp he founded in rural Missouri, where he continued working with children even after being expelled by his Pentecostal denomination decades ago.

Allegations Spanning Decades Finally Reach Court

The charges—first-degree rape and lewd acts with a child under 16—stem primarily from allegations made by Kerri Jackson, who says Campbell repeatedly abused her starting around age 9 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The abuse, she claims, continued weekly for three years throughout the early 1980s.

Campbell’s arrest is the culmination of a 40-year effort by alleged victims to get law enforcement and church leaders to take their stories seriously. Each time, roadblocks such as expired statutes of limitations and lack of institutional willpower allowed the preacher to move on—unchecked and unpunished.

This time, Oklahoma’s Attorney General used an old but useful legal clause allowing charges when the accused has left the state to avoid prosecution. A multicounty grand jury handed down the indictment after reviewing the case presented by prosecutors in Oklahoma City.

Church Leadership Failed To Stop Continued Ministry

Jackson isn’t alone. NBC News unearthed statements from five women accusing Campbell of abuse during his time as an Assemblies of God minister. Nine others, including men, said he showed them pornography or behaved inappropriately.

Despite receiving allegations in 1988, including Jackson’s in-person testimony, the Assemblies of God declined to remove him at the time. They allowed him to keep working in children’s ministry, even after receiving letters from additional accusers.

By 1989, only after more pressure and another report by Phaedra Creed—who was allegedly abused while living with Campbell’s family—did the Assemblies finally expel him. Even then, charges were dropped when Creed backed out due to harassment from congregation members.

Preacher Restarted Ministry After Removal

Undeterred, Campbell founded his own church and Camp Bell outside the accountability of big institutions. NBC’s reporting revealed that his platforms continued to permit access to children and even became a haven for convicted sex offenders.

His influence only grew. In 2016, Campbell’s sermons were picked up by the PTL Television Network and broadcast nationally until this year, when the network severed ties after fielding questions from press inquiries.

“PTL has not reached, and does not express, any conclusion regarding the truth or accuracy of the allegations,” the network stated, adding that Campbell resigned after being placed on leave.

Victims Speak Out As Arrest Sparks Hope

Now, with criminal charges in motion, those who spoke up long ago are finally being heard. “Finally,” said Jackson. “We just needed someone to believe us.”

Creed, who once testified as a teenager and was silenced by church pushback, is also relieved to see steps toward justice. “I was speaking the truth then, and I’m speaking the truth now,” she said. “I am so happy justice will finally be served.”

Even Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond seemed moved, saying, “I cannot even imagine, nor could I attempt to imagine, the weight on their hearts, their psyche all these years.” His message to alleged abusers: “If you commit that crime, we’re going to find you.”

Institutional Apologies Come Far Too Late

The Assemblies of God released a carefully worded statement commending victims for coming forward decades after their own internal process failed. “We continue to pray that justice will be served,” the organization said.

While apologies and cautious statements are part of the cleanup effort, the fact remains: A man with serious, credible accusations against him was allowed continued access to children—thanks in part to institutional hesitation, legal loopholes, and cultural cowardice.

Only now, after the determined pursuit by victims and exposure by the press, are the wheels of justice beginning to turn. Campbell remains in jail awaiting transfer to Oklahoma, where prosecutors say he could face a life sentence if convicted.