Former youth pastor pleads guilty to sexually assaulting a child over several years

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- The District Attorney's Office says a Colorado Springs youth pastor accused of sexually assaulting a child has pleaded guilty.

According to court documents, Vincent Stites, sexually assaulted a girl in his youth group while working at Friendship Assembly of God Church in the early 2000s'.

Court documents say he started having an inappropriate relationship with the girl, beginning when she was 12-years-old and continued until she was 18. The documents state Sites confirmed the assaults, claiming he was in love with the victim at the time.

Detectives began investigating Stites after receiving a report in September 2020. Police arrested Stites in late February, charging him with one count of sexual assault on a child by one in a position of trust.

Stites later went on to own and operate HellScream Haunts, a Colorado Springs Halloween attraction. HellScream's co-owners released a statement saying Stites is no longer involved in the company following his arrest.

He'll be back in court on September 23 for sentencing.