A Baptist pastor in Tulsa, Oklahoma was arrested last week following a woman’s post hitting Facebook calling him her abuser of “over a decade.” The man was removed from his post at his church, according CrimeOnline.
Bertheophilus “Judge” Maurice Bailey Sr. was charged with two counts of first degree rape, child sexual abuse, incest, forcible sodomy, and robbery in court last Wednesday.
A probable cause affidavit details alleged texts he sent to his wife after she confronted him with the abuse allegations, in which Bailey reportedly describes himself as a “child molester,” “felon,” “rapist,” “unfaithful husband,” and “uncommitted father.”
He allegedly ended the string of texts with the exclamation of, “I am a f–king a–hole who should go straight to hell when I die.”
According to KOKI, it all started with a post on Facebook from a woman who explicitly alleged that Bailey was her abuser.
That post from his daughter Harmony Bailey Oates — who has since identified herself publicly — reads in part, “As a victim of sexual and mental abuse at the hands of Pastor Bailey for over a decade, I feel compelled to warn others about his predatory behavior. Despite his status as a respected member of the community, it is essential to shed light on his actions to prevent further harm to unsuspecting individuals.”
“For too long, I suffered in silence, afraid of the repercussions of speaking out against someone with such influence and power. However, I have come to realize that silence only perpetuates the cycle of abuse, and it is crucial to break free from the chains of fear and shame.”
You can read the full post at The Roys Report.
According to an affidavit filed with the courts, Oates’ mother recorded a phone call between her daughter and husband, where Oates first confronted Bailey about the abuse. The document reports that he begged Oates not to tell her husband as “the secret getting out would be a total catastrophe to the whole kingdom of God.”
In those texts with his wife, Bailey allegedly told her he’d “planned on taking the secret to his grave,” per the affidavit. It also reported him telling her he “feels ashamed and humiliated from the exposure of the abuse.”
KOKI reports that after Oates’ initial Facebook page alleging her abuses at the hands of Bailey, a second victim has come forward. Tulsa Police told the outlet that their investigation is underway.
Bailey allegedly admitted in a text to his wife, as reported by local Fox affiliate KOKI, that he’d watched pornography involving incest and “felt justified in acting out what was shown in the pornography because ‘it was what people do’.”
According to court records, the alleged abuse began when Oates was in the sixth grade.
Speaking with NBC affiliate KJRH, Oates said, “He would pray over me at first, but he would do a lot of touching while he was praying.” The court affidavit affirmed this detail, with police reporting that evidence and their investigations corroborated Oates’ story.
What started as touching escalated to rape when she was 16 or 17 years old, according to the arrest affidavit. Court documents detail Bailey allegedly telling authorities, “Jumping from touching to sex is not a big deal for me.”
The alleged abuse even continued into her adulthood, with Oates telling police that just weeks after she gave birth to her daughter in 2021, he came to her home, pushed her on the ground, and orally penetrated her, as reported by CrimeOnline.
Even after this, ABC affiliate KTUL reported that Bailey would allegedly return to Oates’ home and peer in at her through the windows.
“The thing is whenever I was a kid I separated my dad from who he was. I had to that’s the only way I survived,” Oates told KJHR in her first interview after coming forward with the allegations.
“It feels like I’m not in the shadows anymore,” she said of finally feeling free to share her story. “Think of a 13-year-old girl confused about who true love is because her dad is saying ‘I’m your boyfriend.'”
She said that she struggled with years of manipulation leaving her asking questions that have lingered for years. That was part of why she wanted to come out and share her story.
“I would call him my best friend only to hide the reality of what I was living,” she said. Now, she’s starting to see a clearer picture. “Coming out of the darkness by speaking out, makes you a survivor. That’s what I would say,” she added.
Oates told the outlet that she first opened up about the alleged abuse with her husband and older brother, before she moved on to a very difficult conversation with her mother.
She said she hopes that by her speaking out, others might feel empowered to do so, as well. She also spoke about finding a renewed faith in God.
“I’m learning more and I know he has me and he has every other victim,” she said. “And I know that he has been guiding me through this whole journey and I know he will come for me like a father even though my dad did not.”
Bailey is currently being held on a $500,000 bond.
