By Jason Arndt
Staff Writer
A Twin Lakes pastor awaiting a May 2 preliminary hearing on child enticement charges in Oshkosh leaves his church with an uncertain future.
Rev. Josh Scheil, of Trevor, held on $10,000 bond April 18 in Winnebago County Circuit Court, was arrested on allegations he planned to meet a 13-year-old girl for a sexual encounter in Oshkosh April 12, according to a criminal complaint.
In addition to child enticement charges, Scheil is accused of using a computer to facilitate a child sex crime and causing a child under 13 to view sexual activity.
If convicted, he faces maximum imprisonment of 71 years.
Scheil was in Oshkosh attending a pastor’s conference titled “Old Witness SWD, Confessing Christ for the Next Generation” at Best Western Waterfront Hotel, the complaint said.
Hope Lutheran Church, where he served as pastor since 2013, has removed his name from its website and referred all comments to the South Wisconsin District of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod.
A statement released by the district said President and Rev. John Wille “is aware of the situation and is addressing the matter according to the policies and guidelines of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod.”
“We certainly support our law enforcement officials in all that they do to protect and serve our families and society,” the statement said.
Scheil’s arrest stemmed from an undercover Child Enticement Operation by the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Internet Crimes Division.
Scheil, in Oshkosh for a pastors’ conference, allegedly initiated contact with a crime analyst through an online forum March 1.
The complaint stated the crime analyst, posing as “Maddy,” received a message from a “27-year-old white male from Wisconsin” identified as “Rev.”
After the analyst identified himself as a 13-year-old female from Oshkosh, both parties agreed to continue the conversation on KiK Messenger, the complaint stated.
Additionally, the complaint noted, the analyst repeatedly identified himself as a 13-year-old from Oshkosh.
Leading up to his arrest, Scheil allegedly sent sexually explicit comments and images on multiple occasions, and told the analyst posing as Maddy that he will be in Oshkosh from April 11-13.
On April 12, he allegedly arranged a meeting with the undercover agent at Asylum Point Park, but was apprehensive, the complaint said.
“I want to make sure this isn’t some kind of sting,” Scheil allegedly said through the messenger app.
However, the complaint said he eventually met with the analyst and was resistant during the arrest.
When taken into custody, authorities seized a cellular phone that contained dialogue between “Rev” and “Maddy.”
“The defendant stated again that it wasn’t what officers thought it was and that it made him sick that people try to manipulate children,” the complaint alleges. “The defendant said that he was just trying to warn the child coming to the park today.”
Scheil received a Masters of Divinity degree from Concordia University in St. Louis, according to the LCMS website.