An Oklahoma pastor has been arrested and charged with sexual battery involving a teen girl, police reported Wednesday.

Matthew Martinez, formerly an associate pastor at New Heights Baptist Church and Academy in Tulsa, Okla., was charged by Tulsa Police with two counts of sexual battery. He is accused of having “inappropriate behavior” with the girl over a period of three years, starting when she was 15, police said in a statement posted on Facebook.

When detectives investigated further, they found that Martinez first interacted with the victim in the fall of 2020 through texts, according to the statement. Over time, their messages became more personal, and their in-person contact became more physical, police said.

The victim reportedly told police that Martinez would touch her “hands and feet at first before putting his hand up her skirt multiple times and touching her chest.” The victim added that Martinez both kissed and groped her and made her touch him as well.

In September, detectives found thousands of text messages between Martinez and the victim, the statement said. This reportedly included Martinez texting her “sexual hypotheticals” and discussions about kissing her.

Martinez allegedly manipulated the victim and convinced her she would get in trouble if she defied unwanted contact, according to court documents obtained by 2 News Oklahoma. Their contact allegedly became physical during the victim’s senior year of high school, with Martinez kissing her around 30 times in either school or church.

In May 2023 the girl reported Martinez’s sexual abuse, police reported on Facebook.

The same day she reported him, Martinez gave a letter to New Heights Baptist Church Pastor Paul Gentry, detailing several of the accusations along with a resignation letter, the court documents explained.

Then on June 18, police discovered Martinez was inappropriately texting another 18-year-old girl at the church and school. 

Police issued a warrant for Martinez on Sept. 28 and arrested him shortly after.

The Tulsa church said it is fully cooperating with law enforcement regarding Martinez, according to a declaración from the church obtained by News on 6. New Heights stated that it has removed the pastor from church membership.

New Heights Baptist Church leaders do not cover up inappropriate behavior and have a “zero-tolerance” policy for it, according to the statement.  

“In order to protect all of the people that attend our church, this individual is not welcome on church property at this time,” the statement said. “We believe that transparency and accountability are essential for successful ministry, and we are fully committed to ministering to our people in a safe and responsible manner.”

En sus sitio web, New Heights explains that it is an “independent, fundamental, Bible-believing Baptist church.”

Freelance journalist Liz Lykins escribe for WORLD Magazine, Christianity Today, Ministry Watch, and other publications.