Insufficient evidence: Arlington pastor won’t go to trial in sex assault case
Ronnie Goines
ARLINGTON, Texas - Grand jurors chose not to indict the pastor of an Arlington church who was arrested on sex assault and indecency charges.
Pastor Ronnie Goines No-Billed
What's new:
A Tarrant County grand jury returned a "no bill" in the case against Pastor Ronnie Goines, the lead pastor at Koinonia Christian Church in Arlington.
That means jurors believed there wasn’t enough evidence of a crime to proceed with the charges.
What they're saying:
"We believe the grand jury got it right," the Koinonia Christian Church said in a statement. "They carefully reviewed the evidence and saw the inconsistencies, ultimately confirming what we have known all along—Pastor Goines is innocent of these allegations."
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Pastor Ronnie Goines Arrested
The backstory:
In July, Goines was accused of sexual assault and indecent assault.
Arlington police released limited information about the case but said that a woman had made an outcry.
Goines turned himself in at the Tarrant County jail to face the charges.
Arlington pastor arrested on sex assault, indecency charges
The founding pastor of an Arlington church turned himself into the Tarrant County jail on Thursday after being charged with sex crimes.
Pastor Ronnie Goines Maintains His Innocence
What they're saying:
Church officials said Goines has maintained his innocence and cooperated with authorities throughout the legal process.
"While these past months have been challenging, we are grateful for the truth prevailing. Pastor Goines is a dedicated leader, a man of integrity, and a cornerstone of the Arlington community," the church statement said.
What's next:
The pastor is looking forward to continuing his mission of faith, service, and unity, church officials said.
The Source: The information in this story comes from court records, statements from Koinonia Christian Church, and past news coverage.