Pastor sues minister on sex harass
A female pastor accuses a Manhattan minister of crudely belittling her from the pulpit, sending her pictures of his genitals — and punishing her professionally for rejecting his slimy and aggressive sexual demands, according to a lawsuit.
The Rev. Charles Atkins Jr., the former moderator at French Evangelical Church on W. 16th St., began to sexually harass the Rev. Grace Nzameyo Maa within days of her accepting a full-time position in September 2018, the suit filed Tuesday in Manhattan Supreme Court charges.
The harassment started with inappropriate comments, but escalated into a campaign of abuse and retaliation that at times played out in front of the Chelsea church’s congregants, the complaint states.
During one exchange in late 2018, the married Atkins told Nzameyo he loved her and wanted her to be his girlfriend, the suit charges.
“You have to stop this madness,” he said, the suit contends. “I’d like to get a ——job from a cute pastor like you. I know you Africans don’t like to give —— jobs.” On another occasion, Atkins told her: “Don’t wear your robe; I was hoping I could see your butt and curves and legs today,” according to the lawsuit.
Nzameyo repeatedly asked Atkins to end the harassment, and even threatened to complain if he didn’t stop the predatory behavior — but the abuse continued, according to the suit.
He also made good on a promise he’d “humiliate” Nzameyo “in front of the entire congregation” if she didn’t cave to his creepy demands. In March, April, and May of 2019, he repeatedly called her a “stupid bitch” under his breath from the pulpit during worship services, the suit alleges.
The predatory preacher also sent Nzameyo three unwanted pictures of his genitals on Sept. 28 and Dec. 9 of 2018, according to the suit. He ultimately retaliated against her by refusing to put her name in the Sunday bulletin or allowing her to participate in Sunday worship at all.
Nzameyo filed a complaint with French Evangelical’s parent church, New York Presbytery on Feb. 28, 2019. An investigation began that April.
In May, Atkins resigned.