HAYES, Va. — George West, the Gloucester County man who has been charged for allegedly filming males in public restrooms in the Williamsburg area, has been removed from his role as deacon and as a member of the Union Baptist Church of Hayes, Va., the church confirmed to WTKR News 3.
West, 76, is facing 17 counts of unlawful filming of another person, but police believe he may have filmed "thousands of males" since 1996 — sharing the pictures and videos online with others, police say.
During Union Baptist Church's Aug. 10 service, streamed live on YouTube, Senior Pastor Jared Berry concluded with a statement about the allegations against West.
Watch: Union Baptist church pastor addresses allegations of Thomas West
"Not this Saturday but last, I was informed of the arrest of our chair of deacons, Thomas West, for multiple counts related to the unlawful creation of images," said Berry. "This incident has revealed a sin issue that has been ongoing and hidden for a very long time. The leadership and even his closest friends were unaware. Due to the public and serious nature of this sin, I believe it is both necessary and biblical that I address it with you now."
A citizen told authorities on Aug. 2 they saw West filming people in a public restroom located on the corner of South Henry Street and Duke of Gloucester Street, police say. When officers arrived, a witness alleged they'd seen West filming people in a bathroom before on two separate occasions, according to a criminal complaint obtained by WTKR News 3.
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While speaking with West, an officer noticed West had a phone and was deleting photos from it, the complaint states. The witness got upset about West's alleged attempt to get rid of evidence, the complaint states, and snatched the phone from him.
An officer then took the phone, the complaint goes onto say. With West's consent, the complaint states, the officer looked at the phone's camera roll and found two photos showing "mens' penises from inside the bathroom," as well as 15 more in the trash folder.
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"I have sought the counsel of many pastors and researched many commentaries and prayed to know what to do next," Berry continued. "The extreme nature of this sin makes clear in Scripture this is not a regular Matthew 18 church discipline situation, but a situation that more similarly matches First Corinthians 5, which calls for a person's removal from church membership as an act of discipline. This is necessary for him to feel the full brokenness and gravity of this sin, if there is any hope of a truly genuine repentance and redemption.
"It is also necessary for the protection of the church that we would not take a light attitude about the seriousness of sin. Every church that tries to hide or ignore this kind of sin becomes both powerless and meaningless in preaching truth to the world. We are called to expose the unfruitful deeds of darkness and not to help hide them.
"To this effect, Tom has been removed from his role as the chair by the deacons, and I and the deacons recommend his removal as a deacon for disqualification."
