Police: Magnolia pastor sexually assaulted, beat church members

MAGNOLIA, TX (KTRK) -- A Magnolia pastor stands accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old and injuring others inside the home that doubled as The Body of Christ Ministry, police documents show.

An arrest warrant for Rodney Mitchell, 56, detailed encounters with the teen inside the home and multiple other locations, including hotels, Las Vegas, San Antonio and Galveston.

The child said Mitchell assaulted her inside his bedroom, where he put on "old people" music and dimmed the lights. The pastor's wife then took her to get birth control shots, documents state.

If she told anyone what was going on, "she would drop dead on the spot because God would kill her," according to police documents.

Another woman, who was also staying at the church on Garwood Court, said Mitchell routinely abused her, including pulling her by the hair because she fell asleep while he was talking.

"[Mitchell] put up surveillance cameras and purchased guns for 'hard times'", the arrest warrant said.

A 9-year-old who lived in the home told investigators Mitchell would say he would see a "spirit" on her face and would then reach over and slap her.

There may be other victims who have not come forward, investigators told ABC13's Jessica Willey.

Montgomery County detectives and SWAT team carried out a search warrant at the church Thursday. Evidence related to the case was collected, investigators said, along with a "large cache of weapons and ammunition."

"It was very frightening waking up to guns drawn like that in your home," said Angela Edwards, an 18-year church member who lives at the home. She is shocked by the allegation.

"It's something I find very hard to believe. Nothing in his history would ever say he would do anything like that. He's always told me and the congregation never put yourself in a situation with the opposite sex. Never be alone with the opposite sex," explained Edwards.