RALEIGH COUNTY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Michael Lee Lucas, a 25-year-old former local pastor from Cool Ridge, has been charged with three counts of third-degree sexual assault in connection with incidents involving a 13-year-old boy during the summer of 2019 in Raleigh County.
According to the criminal complaint filed in Raleigh County, the victim reported that he had been helping Lucas and his family put up hay on their family farm in the Cool Ridge area when the alleged abuse occurred.
The victim, who was 13 at the time while Lucas was 18, told investigators that Lucas paid him money on multiple occasions to pull down his pants and expose himself.
The complaint further alleges that Lucas touched the victim’s private area on several occasions, including at night in a bedroom and once after entering a locked bathroom.
The victim also reported instances of Lucas asking for nude photos via Snapchat.
Lucas was arrested following the victim’s report to the West Virginia State Police on June 11, 2026.
He provided a statement to investigators in which he acknowledged paying the victim to expose himself, touching him, and engaging in other sexual contact.
Lucas is currently being held at Southern Regional Jail on a $150,000 bond.
