JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Shortly after his 2006 arrest on charges he sexually abused children in his congregation, retired pastor Robert Gray answered police questions about the allegations against him and admitted what he'd done to the children was wrong.

Channel 4 obtained and reviewed the depositions of people who say Gray molested them decades ago.

Also recently obtained were the audiotapes and transcripts of the first interviews police conducted with the longtime pastor of Trinity Baptist Church.

Prior to his death earlier this month at the age of 81, Gray was facing a trial on four counts of capital sexual battery.

When Gray was arrested in May 2006 on charges of sexually abusing children in his church in the 1960s and 1970s, he did not say anything publicly, but in interrogations conducted without his lawyer present, Gray talked openly about what he did with one young girl at the school, admitting to a detective that he French kissed young girls at his church decades ago and hoped they would "return the affection."

Gray gave the officer an explanation for the behavior and also revealed information about a state investigation into Gray's actions.

In the tapes Gray said he never molested children but that he only kissed them, saying he felt close to the children:

Officer: Why did you pick the girls that you picked to kiss?
Gray: I don't know. I guess they just were close to me and ...
Officer: Yeah, but you know I have a grandfather too, and my grandfather loves me and I'm close to him but he'd never kiss me like that.
Gray: Yeah, it's wrong.
Officer: It is wrong.
Gray: It's wrong.
Officer: And you know the affect that you've had on these women.
Gray: Yeah, it's amazing.

The written depositions of people who say Gray molested them when they were children at Trinity Baptist documented that affect.

The victims' statements appeared to have a common thread -- all said Gray would tell the children if they talked, they would be in trouble with their parents.

"I was warned to be a good girl and keep the secret because my father would lose his job and he would hate me and send me away to live with someone else," one victim said in a statement.

One man said in his statement that Gray sexually assaulted him and tried to make him feel bad about it:

"He said that he was showing me love. He asked me point blank, 'Does your dad do this?' and I told him no, and then he told me that my dad must not love him -- love me as much as he did."

Gray's behavior went unreported to authorities for years. During his questioning in 2006, Gray said the church knew he was French kissing children and the state was investigating him in 1992.

Officer: OK. Why were you asked to leave the church?
Gray: I was not asked to leave the church.
Officer: You weren't?
Gray: No.
Officer: OK, in 1992 were you under investigation for something or ...
Gray: Yes, the HRS lady came out and talked to me.
Officer: The HRS lady came out and talked to you?
Gray: Yes, ma'am.
Officer: And who was that HRS lady?
Gray: I don't know her name.
Officer: You don't remember?
Gray: No, ma'am
Officer: And what was she talking to you about?
Gray: About the uh, -----.
Officer: About -------.
Gray: Yeah.
Officer: And that was in 1992?
Gray: Yes ma'am.
Officer: And what did you say you did to her again?

An official from the Department of Children and Families said they could not talk about it even though Gray is dead.

"Due to the strict state confidentiality laws we are not able to discuss specific cases even if there had been an abuse investigation. We have to respect confidentiality especially concerning any victims," said John Harrell of DCF.

At one point, Gray said he was set to apologize to the church, but it never happened.

Officer: OK, um, well Sunday night were you supposed to get up and say something after the service that you know, you were apologizing for what you did to these girls?
Gray: Well, Pastor suggested that I be ready to do that when he called on me.
Officer: OK, what were you gonna tell 'em?
Gray: I (inaudible) tell 'em that I sinned. I was wrong. I should not have done that and ask forgiveness.
Officer: OK, do you feel that they'd forgiven you?
Gray: Well some of them had but I don't know the others that I , people that I don't even know.

Despite his death, accusations that Gray molested children decades ago while he was pastor at Trinity Baptist Church will not go away. While the criminal charges will not go forward, six civil cases filed against the church he led for nearly 40 years will continue.