KANSAS CITY, Mo. — An associate youth leader at Excelsior Springs Baptist Church was arrested and charged this week in connection with sex crimes involving a minor going back to 2023.
According to court documents, on Wednesday morning, Nov. 11, Excelsior Springs police interviewed a female victim who alleged multiple instances of sexual assault involving the suspect.
The victim told police the crimes started in 2023 when she was 15 years old. The first alleged incident took place in July 2023.
The victim detailed additional alleged assaults in Dec. 2023 in a classroom at the church. The victim was 16 years old at the time.
The alleged assaults continued in July 2024 and June 2025.
Following the interview, Excelsior Springs police located the suspect, identified as Donald Axtell, 37, on Thursday, Nov. 13, on U.S. 69 Highway and took him into custody.
According to court documents, Axtell initially denied any sexual relationship with the victim, though eventually, he admitted to one upon further questioning.
On Friday, the Clay County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged Axtell with statutory rape, statutory sodomy, furnishing pornographic material to a minor and possession of child pornography.
Axtell remained in custody Friday afternoon at the Clay County Jail on a $100,000 bond.
“The alleged offense not only constitutes a serious violation of the law, but a grievous betrayal of the trust placed with an associate youth pastor to shepherd our community’s children,” Prosecutor Zachary Thompson said Friday in a news release.
Police say their investigation “remains active,” and anyone with information to contact them at 816-630-2000.
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