Officials: Assault case too old to pursue
Prosecutors announced Thursday that they are unable to pursue criminal charges against a former youth minister in The Woodlands in the alleged sexual assault of a teen 20 years ago but that first was reported last week.
A blog post Friday by Jules Woodson about her alleged abuse by Andy Savage in 1998 when she was 17 in the Houston suburb has added to the cascade of #MeToo stories and illuminates sexual abuse by religious leaders around the nation.
At the time, both were members of Woodlands Parkway Baptist Church, which is now called StoneBridge Church.
Savage, now a pastor in Memphis, on Sunday admitted to a “sexual incident” with a female high school senior 20 years ago in Texas and told his congregation that he was “deeply sorry.”
Statute of limitations
On Thursday, the special crimes bureau of the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office announced that too much time has elapsed under 1998 laws for a current prosecution.
“For a sexual assault offense committed in 1998, the statute of limitations was 10 years from the date of the alleged offense,” a news release said. “Therefore, based on the facts known at this time, our ability to present a potential felony indictment for sexual assault expired in 2008.”
According to a blog post Woodson wrote Jan. 5 detailing her story, Savage offered to drive her home from church one day in 1998, but detoured to a wooded area off a dirt road and had her perform oral sex on him. At the time, Woodson said, Savage was teaching teens in her youth group the “True Love Waits” curriculum, which advocates sexual abstinence before marriage.
On Sunday, Savage did not spell out for the congregation at Highpoint Church in Tennessee what took place in 1998, but he said that he had sinned, had taken responsibility for his actions and never concealed the information from church leaders. He said that he believed the episode had been “dealt with in Texas” before Woodson took her story public.
Example of a survivor
“Until now, I did not know there was unfinished business with Jules,” Savage, 42, said during the service, which was streamed live online. “Jules, I am deeply sorry for my actions 20 years ago. I remain committed to cooperate with you toward forgiveness and healing.”
Woodson, now in her late 30s, emailed Savage on Dec. 1, asking him if he remembered the incident.
She ended the brief email this way: “Well, I REMEMBER. #metoo.” The ongoing blog post reports that she received no response from Savage.
A friend who has been part of her circle of comfort and responded to a request for comment from Woodson said Wednesday that she went public to be an example of a survivor and potentially give freedom to others, particularly those who have abused by trusted authorities in religious spaces.