ONLY ON 3: Leland church says sex offender was not youth pastor

LELAND, NC (WWAY) — One week ago, we told you about a child sex offender believed to be a youth pastor at a Leland church. Now the church is setting the record straight, saying he never worked there.

Charlrean Mapson, the former pastor of Johnson Chapel AME Zion Church, says she was horrified when she heard reports that convicted sex offender Merle Davis had worked as a youth pastor there.

She says he tried to work there, but his credentials raised a red flag.

“Someone called me and told me that he had been accused and that he also said that he was a youth pastor here. This church does not have, and never has had a youth pastor,” said Mapson.

Mapson says Davis did preach a couple times, but was not an official member of the church. He did try to get a job there, but was denied.

“I asked him to present his credentials, he gave them to me, and I presented them to my elder at the time, my presiding elder at the time, and he said ‘these look fake,'” said Mapson.

Current pastor Henry Young says he doesn’t want false information to damage the church’s reputation.

Young and Mapson say Leland police have not contacted them since the accusation was made against Davis in March 2017.

“They should have checked with us before they suggested that incorrect information,” said Young.

Mapson says although she was only with the church for two and a half years, its members have become like family to her.

“It feels like when somebody offends someone in this church, they’ve offended a member of my family,” said Mapson.

Davis was arrested in Maryland and is still awaiting extradition .

He faces one count of statutory sex offense, and three counts of indecent liberties with a child.

Both Mapson and Young urge any additional victims to go to law enforcement.