Lawsuits Expose MorningStar Sex Abuse Scandal

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Despite the conviction of a predator earlier this year, a sex abuse scandal is sending shockwaves through South Carolina’s MorningStar Ministries. Three civil suits filed on behalf of the victims and their parents reveal the details of alleged grooming and sexual abuse of minors who were participating in a youth group sponsored by the Fort Mill, S.C.-based church.

While these civil cases have yet to go before a judge or a jury, they are already proving to be impactful. 

The lawsuits spurred a confession-laden resignation from MorningStar’s president – who has since left the organization and started his own church, igniting an unfriendly rivalry with MorningStar’s founder. As additional victims emerge – including an estimated thirty (30) women who claim to have suffered abuse at the hands of church leaders – more than 100 past and present church members have signed a petition calling for an independent investigation into the prevalence and handling of MorningStar’s sex abuse cases over the past twenty years. They are also calling for a permanent change in leadership. 

It is a sadly familiar scenario: The abuse of power and religious authority, leading to devastating consequences for victims — in this case, a number of vulnerable youth. 

“This situation is endemic in many situations in churches in the United States – allowing unfettered power to go unchecked,” said attorney Randall Hood, who is representing the victims and their parents. “It’s a tragedy.”

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The male victims whose experiences are documented in the recent civil suits were as young as thirteen (13) when they joined ‘Young Special Forces’ under the leadership of former MorningStar volunteer, Erickson Lee. The stated intent of the group was to encourage the participants to grow physically, mentally and spiritually. According to the complaints filed in York County, from 2018-2023 they participated in travel and adventures that often included overnight stays.

In the context of the lawsuits (.pdf), the victims are referred to as John Doe 1, 2, and 3 in order to shield their identities and keep them safe from embarrassment or harassment. Likewise, their parents are referred to as James Roe and Jane Roe. 

Defendants named in the lawsuits include Lee, MorningStar founder Rick Joyner, vice president David Yarnes, head of security Douglas Lee and Chase Portello – a Young Special Forces volunteer. In addition to the named members of the church leadership there are also multiple unnamed defendants. These individuals, referred to as James Smith 1-10, are described as volunteers or employees of MorningStar who had knowledge of some of the issues raised in the suits. 

As leader of ‘Young Special Forces,’ Erickson Lee was connected to the church through his father Douglas Lee, its head of security. He was a Marine and for part of the time he was leading the group, the younger Lee was also a police officer with the city of Cornelius, North Carolina. According to the dates of his employment provided by the Cornelius Police Department, that job ended on April 28, 2023 – days prior to his arrest on charges related to abuse at MorningStar on May 3, 2023.  

Erickson Lee pleaded guilty to the charges against him in September 2024 and was sentenced to nine years in prison. According to the S.C. Department of Corrections (SCDC), he is serving that time at an undisclosed location within the state correctional system. His release date, per SCDC records (.pdf) is April 22, 2032.

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According to prosecutors, Erickson Lee engaged in a pattern of systemic grooming that began with him providing alcohol and vapes for the minors under his direction. He then provided them with pornography. After having acclimated them to these prohibited items and associated behaviors, he isolated the victims and sexually assaulted them.

Apart from the grooming and isolation of his victims, details vary as to the individual assaults. Some of the victims were made to share accommodations with the group leader – or sleep in the same bed with him naked. One victim reported being handcuffed and tased by Lee. On a trip to Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, group members were plied with alcohol beyond the point of drunkenness, then were made to undress and shower together as Lee observed.  

According to the civil suits, other volunteers were aware of the grooming behaviors – and specifically the provision of alcohol. Still, the situation was not addressed by church leadership until after one of the boy’s parents found sexually explicit text messages on the boy’s phone from Erickson Lee.

When the boys began to reveal what had happened, they were reportedly threatened, tracked and intimidated by Erickson Lee and another former Marine – Chase Portello – who was recently sworn in as a deputy with the Rowan County, NC sheriff’s department.

Only after the boys were questioned by church officials was the matter reported to the local authorities. 

FITSNews reached out to MorningStar for the organization’s perspective on the cases but did not receive a response. 

MorningStar founder Rick Joyner has taken to the pulpit to discuss the lawsuits in sermons on Youtube. In one recent announcement, he called the claims “wildly untrue, way out of the box untrue”. 

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While insinuating the victims are not telling the truth, Joyner also claimed to have sympathy for their families. 

Considering MorningStar’s troubling history of unreported abuse, earlier victims – including female students of MorningStar University – found Joyner’s comments to be insensitive, but not surprising. 

“He has disparaged the young men as though they simply brought forth lies and baseless claims,” said YouTube commentator John Bastian. “For him to pretend like he doesn’t know what’s going on is dishonest.”

As Bastian explained, the troubling history of unreported abuse has been accompanied by a culture in which victims are said to have a “Jezebel spirit” – or a spirit of lust that encouraged the abuse. While victims were blamed for the abuse, their abusers were prayed over and “restored”. 

MorningStar leadership considers handling abuse allegations a matter of “ecclesiastical privilege.” By definition, ecclesiastical privilege is an important component of the separation of church and state which means the government cannot dictate religious matters to the church. This claim of ecclesiastical privilege forms part of the basis for MorningStar’s motion to dismiss (.pdf).

The Fort Mill, S.C. campus might be familiar to some readers as Heritage USA – the former playground of Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker – who lost control of the property and their empire amidst a sex scandal in the 1980s. 

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The three complaints claim the ministry did not provide sufficient training, rules or oversight to protect the boys. They further allege church officials and volunteers – like Erickson’s father – knew about some of the misconduct but ignored it – and at least one assisted Erickson in intimidating and controlling the boys. When the situation became apparent, the complaint alleges the church leaders were slow to respond and notify law enforcement. 

The complaints further allege that this handling of sex abuse is not new for the organization – that there have been many occasions when these same tactics were deployed in response to similar scenarios dating back decades. 

As the court battle looms in the future, there have been more immediate consequences.  

In August, MorningStar president Chris Reed, who held the post for a year, resigned rather than defend the organization against the victims. The departure caused a rift in the ranks. Joyner re-took the seat he long held while hurling a rash of accusations Reed’s way over a 2021 indiscretion Reed allegedly had with a Morningstar University student.

Joyner claims Reed, who is married with six children, used the guise of prophecy to engage in a conversation with a female student that turned intimate.  Reed left Morningstar and started his own church in Fort Mill, SC. Jesus Revolution opened its doors in October. 

As the fallout continued to plague the organization, more than 100 past members, workers, and associates signed a petition calling for an independent investigation – and an end to Joyner’s leadership. (.pdf)

Attorneys for Morningstar have filed a motion to dismiss in each of the three cases – and all three are set for hearing on Monday, December 16, 2024.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …

Callie Lyons is a journalist, researcher and author. Her 2007 book ‘Stain-Resistant, Nonstick, Waterproof and Lethal’ was the first to cover forever chemicals and their impact on communities – a story later told in the movie ‘Dark Waters.’ Her investigative work has been featured in media outlets, publications, and documentaries all over the world. Lyons also appears in ‘Citizen Sleuth’ – a 2023 documentary exploring the genre of true crime.

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