Nassau County preacher accused of molesting girl

YULEE, Fla. – A preacher is in jail on charges of lewd and lascivious molestation on a teenage girl.

Kyle Lowe, 28, was a preacher at First Missionary Baptist Church in Yulee, but not any more.

Church members said Lowe was leading services just the past Sunday, and they were shocked to learn of the accusations. They said what he's accused of never happened at the church.

Bernice Walker, who has attended the church all of her life, says that Lowe started at there last December, just before Christmas, and has been leading services every weekend for the past few months. The church even had bigger plans in the works for him.

"He wasn't the pastor here. We haven't called him," Walker said. "We were supposed to, but we haven't yet."

According to Lowe's arrest report, a now-15-year-old victim told investigators that Lowe kissed her and groped her under her shirt. The report says Lowe admitted to kissing the teen and touching her on top of her shirt, but then recanted and denied touching her.

"It's ugly. It's ugly and a disgrace," Walker said. "For a man that is supposed to be a child of God. He seemed to be a nice person, but after this here, I don't know."

Walker said the church members got together Thursday night and fired Lowe from his position. According to his arrest report, Lowe worked for Beautiful Mind and Soul Christian Academy, but the principal said that is not true, and that he was never an employee of the private school.

The principal said in an email, "Bishop Lowe was not an employee here. He was a religious representative from Emmanuel Center and Fellowship Baptist Church who came in on few occasions to assist with administrative services in our admin office for a very brief time as his office assistance was no longer needed."

Lowe is being held in the Duval County jail with bail set at $50,000. His next court date is scheduled for Sept. 11.