Church leaders learned in 2005 that he'd abused two girls. They confronted him privately rather than calling police — and it took another 14 years before his crimes became public.
Robert Shiflet, a former youth pastor at Denton Bible Church in Texas, was released from federal prison in January 2023 after serving 25 months for sexually abusing girls under his supervision, following a case that ultimately identified 14 victims across two churches.
A Position of Trust
Shiflet served as a youth pastor at Denton Bible Church in the late 1990s, where he first abused a 14-year-old girl in 1996 before assaulting her again the following year during a camping trip he led for eighth-graders in Arkansas, according to prosecutors. He later moved to a youth pastor role at Fellowship Bible Church in Little Rock, Arkansas, where prosecutors said he engaged in a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old girl from the youth group over an extended period, including during a trip to Florida.
Reported, But Not to Police
In 2005, two women who had been abused by Shiflet as minors came forward to a counselor at Denton Bible Church. Rather than reporting the allegations to law enforcement, church leaders confronted Shiflet directly, and he admitted to the abuse. At the time, Texas law didn't require church leaders to report abuse allegations to authorities, and the two women were 19 years old when they came forward.
Public Exposure, Years Later
Shiflet's abuse didn't become publicly known until 2019, when the same two women who had originally reported him in 2005 decided to bring the allegations to law enforcement. An investigation ultimately identified 14 girls Shiflet was found to have abused.
Conviction and Sentencing
Shiflet pleaded guilty and was sentenced in June 2021 to 33 months in federal prison for repeatedly sexually assaulting two of his victims. The sentencing judge reportedly expressed regret that a longer sentence wasn't possible under the terms of the plea agreement.
Early Release
Shiflet was released from prison on January 11, 2023, after serving 25 months, citing good behavior. His victims said they weren't notified of his release for more than six weeks, with the Department of Justice telling them the release had been sudden and unforeseen, leaving no opportunity to provide advance warning. He now lives in Weatherford, Texas, is required to register as a sex offender, and remains under lifetime supervision.
Questions About the Church's Response
Denton Bible's longtime head pastor, Tommy Nelson, told his congregation he was unaware of Shiflet's crimes until 2015. An investigation commissioned by the church later found that Denton Bible had actually revoked Shiflet's ordination roughly a decade earlier, and that a 2001 letter showed the church had rejected a request to promote him due to concerns about his history of being alone with girls — despite which, Nelson recommended him for the youth pastor position at the Arkansas church where further abuse occurred.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many victims did Robert Shiflet have?
An investigation identified 14 girls he was found to have abused across two churches.
Why was his sentence only 33 months?
He was sentenced through a federal plea agreement covering charges related to two of his victims; the judge reportedly expressed regret that the agreement didn't allow for a longer sentence.
Did church leadership know about the abuse before it became public?
Yes. Two victims reported the abuse to Denton Bible Church leaders in 2005, who confronted Shiflet privately rather than involving law enforcement, and an internal investigation later found the church had revoked his ordination roughly a decade before his crimes became publicly known in 2019.