Kenosha, Wis. – Despite publicly claiming that Journey Church was cooperating with police, newly released body-worn camera footage obtained by Kenosha County Eye reveals that lead pastor Kevin Taylor declined to give a statement to investigators following the arrest of a fellow pastor now charged with 15 felonies involving intimate images of two women.
(Kenosha County Sheriff)
Gabriel Mills, a former “Guest Experience Pastor” at Journey Church in Kenosha, was first arrested on September 30, 2024. According to a criminal complaint, Mills allegedly accessed another church member’s phone under the pretense of downloading an audiobook, then used AirDrop to transfer private, sexually explicit photos of the man’s wife to his own phone. Mills was charged with two felonies: capturing an intimate representation without consent. He was released on a $7,500 cash bond.
(File Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Just over a week later, as he left a court hearing, Mills was re-arrested. This time, police said a second woman had come forward. Mills was charged with seven more felonies after allegedly accessing her private photos through a shared iCloud account or similar means.
By October 11, ten more felony charges had been filed, bringing the total to 15. A forensic review of Mills’ phone revealed that he had used AirDrop and photo slideshow features to transfer and view nude images without consent. Some photos were confirmed to have been sent by the victims to their spouses and were never intended for Mills to see or possess.
Pastor’s Statement and Body Cam Footage Tell Different Stories
Following the first arrest, Journey Church lead pastor Kevin Taylor issued a public letter to members of the church and Christian Life School families. In it, Taylor said, “We are committed to transparency and accountability throughout this process,” and stated that the church had terminated Mills’ employment “upon learning of the allegations.”
However, body-worn camera footage obtained from the Kenosha Police Department suggests Taylor took a more guarded approach behind closed doors. In the video, Detective Eric Traxler—tasked by prosecutors to obtain a statement—explains that clergy communications are not automatically privileged. Still, Taylor declines to share what Mills may have admitted to church leadership.
“I would choose not to disclose that information,” Taylor says in the footage. He later adds, “It’s heartbreaking,” but does not offer any further cooperation.
Despite claiming the church acted quickly, Taylor told police that the allegations were only “believable enough” to justify firing Mills after a second conversation on September 29.
Victims Remain Anonymous
Kenosha County Eye is not naming the victims or using initials to protect their privacy. According to the complaints, the women were unaware that private photos had been transferred or accessed until confronting Mills directly or reviewing digital evidence later uncovered by police. The case has prompted ongoing concern among church members and the broader community about trust, privacy, and transparency in faith-based institutions.
Mills remains free on bond. His next hearing is scheduled in Kenosha County Circuit Court for June 11, 2025.
(File Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
(File Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
(File Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
(File Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
(File Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
(File Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
50 Responses
This article trying to paint the head pastor in a bad light for not speaking with police under advice of legal council is ridiculous. No one should ever speak to the police without a lawyer.
As a side note, the detective wearing the body cam communicates at a 3rd grade level “Okay”.
That detective and many other Kenosha police officer are known for being somewhat dim-witted. He might have been drunk during the interview.
Traxler is manipulative and generally creepy.
When is your court date?
Dismissed. He tried but got nowhere. Accusations by a lying female and he took the bait.
OK, I agree with your comment, OK. OK, Kevin, what would you’ve done if put in the pastor’s position, OK? OK, would you have gone against your legal counsel, OK, and spoken to the police, OK, or would you have not talked, OK? OK, just wondering, OK.
I would have cooperated with the sex related investigation as a witness. I would not have tried to protect a number of my clergy.
This is not the first instance of misconduct associated with that church. Years ago, James Nelson, the son of one of the church leaders, was dismissed following allegations of harassment towards his wife, who also worked at the church. She was involved with the children’s ministry, while he handled maintenance duties. The inappropriate behavior was caught on camera more than one time, prompting her attorney to issue a formal warning to the administrative head of the church, who was actually Nelson’s mother. The warning indicated potential legal action if the behavior did not cease. Consequently, to avoid a lawsuit and the ensuing scandal, she was forced to terminate her son’s employment.
1000% correct. Every freaking person should know by now, police are not your friends or “friendly” if/when they are talking to you. SHUT YOUR F*CKING MOUTH. There is ZERO chance of talking your way out of ANYTHING. Again, police are not your friends. They are trained>>>TRAINED TRAINED TRAINED to lower your guard and get you to talk to incriminate yourself or others. Ask any lawyer, there is NEVER a time to tell police ANYTHING other than your name and address if you are being detained. If you are free to go, you don’t even have to tell them your name. Any questions??
Ask a lawyer….they are in it for the money. They benefit at your expense. It is your legal right not to talk and it should be YOUR decision, not some stinking lawyer. As for the clergy and once who wants to resemble GOD, doing what is right sometimes goes against what man considers normal. The pastors statements or lack thereof shows that Journey’s leadership focuses on man over GOD. In the end, everyone is judged.
These mega churches are rife with creeps like this guy. Gain peoples trust through church activity and then virtually “rape” these women. My Daughter was brainwashed by these people years ago. She is now an entitled liberal protester who’s current cause is free Palestine. To bad these men had to resort to the legal system instead of beating this Christian Pastor with low morals with their fists.
I’m only familiar with the type of rape that involves the insertion of a penis into a body part, not the virtual type. How exactly is it accomplished?
It’s a figure of speech dumbass
Journey is not a liberal church..
Seeing that the head pastor comes off as a homosexual im assuming they’re somewhat liberal.
Journey is a woke “church” lead by weak men.
Yeah I’m sure shitty parenting had nothing to do with your daughter…,
Christian women out here taking slutty pics for Jesus?
This is the church of swingers. Swapping partners is part of their unwritten doctrine.
OK, do you know this from experience? OK, or is it just hearsay?
I have never heard about that at journey church…never
I’m joining, it’s OK I’m single. BUT, I won’t lend my phone to anybody.
This is the church of swingers. Swapping partners is part of their unwritten doctrine.
Thank you for posting this. The Kenosha News has never been brave enough to follow or report on the MANY MANY allegations of abuse in this church and in Kenosha Life School. Keep digging, please. The staff at Journey Church and Christian Life School have hurt so many.
Here’s what the law says:
905.06 Communications to members of the clergy.
(1) Definitions. As used in this section:
(a) A “member of the clergy” is a minister, priest, rabbi, or other similar functionary of a religious organization, or an individual reasonably believed so to be by the person consulting the individual.
(b) A communication is “confidential” if made privately and not intended for further disclosure except to other persons present in furtherance of the purpose of the communication.
(2) General rule of privilege. A person has a privilege to refuse to disclose and to prevent another from disclosing a confidential communication by the person to a member of the clergy in the member’s professional character as a spiritual adviser.
(3) Who may claim the privilege. The privilege may be claimed by the person, by the person’s guardian or conservator, or by the person’s personal representative if the person is deceased. The member of the clergy may claim the privilege on behalf of the person. The member of the clergy’s authority so to do is presumed in the absence of evidence to the contrary.
(4) Exceptions. There is no privilege under this section concerning observations or information that a member of the clergy, as defined in s. 48.981 (1) (cx), is required to report as suspected or threatened child abuse under s. 48.981 (2) (bm) or as a threat of violence in or targeted at a school under s. 175.32.
I think both Detective Traxler, a good cop, and the pastor were trying to do what they think is the right thing. Depending on the circumstances, there may or may not be a clergy privilege. If child abuse was implicated then no privilege. Same with a threat in their school. The victims here appear to be adults. The question appears to be whether the communications were made in the capacity as a spiritual adviser. That’s an open question here. If the pastor was investigating as an employer and not as a spiritual adviser, does the exemption apply? It doesn’t sound like either the officer or the pastor here were acting inappropriately. The pastor may well have been acting within the buoys by deferring until he ran this by a lawyer.
So the detective was lying….shocker. If people don’t know by now, police are 100% allowed to lie to you. Just keep your mouth shut. Don’t talk to police.
1. Why are so many Christian wives at Journey Church putting naked images of themselves on their phones?
2. How did this Pastor with now 15 charges, even KNOW these women had put naked images on their phones?
3. What kind of Christian church would think THAT behavior is ok?
It is well known that many members of this church engage in adultery. They believe that God approves of swapping among their congregation.
What?
Oh geeze…ain’t we got enoughproblems in today’s world ….
Sounds like my kind of church!
Journey and Prayer House Assemblies of God have a long history of covering up sex crimes, especially against minors. The pastors of these churches being the biggest offenders.
Living Light, too.
Oh yes, I forgot about them. I was a member there for a short time. Raised at prayer house AG
I love journey church ❤️ all of my kids have gone to church and youth group I have never experienced anything negative at that church and pk Kevin is a wonderful man . I have met wonderful friends and I love the women’s group the well.
I didn’t know that Barney, from The Simpsons, was a Kenosha detective.
I’m not recognizing any similarity …..
Journey cult
Journey Church is very clicky and is a cult for people that are rich
I and many others disagree with that.
This just in ; Gabriel Mills has been hired by KUSD as a guidence counselor. 😎
Journey Church & Christian Life School is FILLED with hypocritical, brainwashed, self proclaimed righteous idiot followers.
Exactly! It is merely a sub-cult of the larger Trump-MAGA cult.
I know that the Bible talks about watching out for false prophets aka- priests/ pastors etc…but this just always makes me so sick when I hear of it because there are so many people out there who are not intelligent whatsoever in the Bible teachings because they were simply never taught anything about it. Then they see something like this and they just think all Christians are phonys or fake or hypocrites or whatever they wanna call it or believe. They just don’t get it and it’s a shame because they will not be saved and given eternal life without understanding how Christianity works. Us Christians are all admitted sinners who came to God through our churches to admit our sins and repent and to accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior who was sacrificed by God the father to die on the cross ✝️ for US! That whomever accepts him will be given eternal life through him! He is the only way!!! It’s all in the Bible and the best way to learn it is through a Christian based church ⛪️ and through a Bible study class. Bottom line, none of us are perfect! We are all sinners! Accept Jesus as your lord and savior and repent and be rewarded! In the meantime, watch out for false prophets or false churches! Any church that changes the teachings in the Bible is not a Christian church to begin with but even a Christian church can end up with a bad apple/ pastor just because we are all sinners!! Most Christian churches however, are full of very caring people who love Jesus and people! End of story! Pray for everyone including this pastor 🙏
We all fall short of the glory of God. I pray God protects his wife and children and he repents and accepts the consequences. God and is merciful and just.
My children attend CLS and Journey Youth and it is a wonderful place.