Sexagenarian Pastor Who Married Teen Member Wins $700K in ‘Child Predator’ Libel Lawsuit

Bishop Dwight Reed was awarded nearly $700,000 in a libel lawsuit against another religious leader, Bishop Demetrius Sinegal, who had publicly referred to Reed as a “child predator.” The claim in question was made after it was revealed that Reed, 63 at the time, had married a 19-year-old member of his church.

The lawsuit was originally decided in Bishop Dwight Reed’s favor in June 2024 in a Polk County District court. Despite his many attempts to challenge the judgement, Sinegal, a self-declared prophet, remains on the hook for $690,000. According to publicly available court records, Judge Jeffrey D. Farrell made a final ruling on the case in January 2025.

Reed, who leads the Christ Apostolic Temple in Des Moines, filed the libel suit, arguing that Sinegal’s statements were false and had caused him significant harm.

The massive judgment didn’t come about via a trial to weigh the merits of Sinegal’s claims, as would be expected. Instead, Reed was victorious due to a default ruling. According to court documents, Sinegal failed to follow the court’s orders and didn’t actively participate in the legal proceedings, effectively handing Reed a victory.

In his request for financial compensation, Reed claimed that he had suffered emotional harm and that his reputation had been damaged due to Sinegal’s claim.

Since the case, Bishop Dwight Reed and his wife, first lady Jordan Reed, have celebrated more than three years of marriage. The couple also has a toddler son.

Sinegal, in the meantime, continues his ministry with The Prophets House, “a virtual prophetic development hub” that offers participants willing to pay $99 monthly an “elite discipleship experience.”

This article was written with the assistance of AI.