Pastor accused of ‘sexually inappropriate conduct’ by 44 women at Southern Baptist Convention

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Just days ago the Southern Baptist Convention released a report documenting an allegation of sexual misconduct at a local church in Jacksonville.

Digging deeper into the report, Action News Jax learned many more women reported sexual misconduct allegations against one man, Darrell Gilyard.

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According to the SBC report, 44 women say they were victims of “sexually inappropriate conduct” by Gilyard.

Action News Jax reached out to Tiffany Thigpen to get her reaction on these claims.

According to the report, in the 1990s Gilyard attempted to rape Thigpen at a church revival meeting held at First Baptist Church Jacksonville.

At the time, Gilyard was at First Baptist Church mentoring others under former First Baptist Church pastor Jerry Vines.

Thigpen says because of this Gilyard was able to get away with his behavior.

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“It has really been absolutely sickening through the years. I feel like Gilyard was kind of a serial predator honestly. There were so many cases stacked against him. There were so many witnesses who came forward over a large period of time,” says Thigpen.

Gilyard has been convicted of sex crimes involving a minor in Duval County and is a registered sexual offender, according to the Florida Department of Corrections.

He is not, however, a legally designated sexual “predator.”

Gilyard is currently a pastor at a local church here in Jacksonville and Thigpen says it’s sickening to know that he is still able to preach.

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