Charges will reportedly be dropped against an Ohio pastor who came under legal fire for housing homeless men and women in his church.
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The city of Bryan, Ohio, has moved to ax criminal charges against Chris Avell, pastor of Dad’s Place, after he was accused of violating city zoning rules, Statehouse News Bureau reported.
The outlet noted Bryan officials reserve the right to refile charges as detailed in a motion to dismiss, though it’s unclear if a judge has yet granted the legal motion. News of the potential dismissal comes after Avell and his church filed a federal lawsuit against the city.
As CBN News previously reported, the case against Avell originated late last year, with the pastor refusing to back down from officials’ demands.
“[Pastor Chris Avell’s] facing 18 criminal charges for violating the city’s zoning laws,” a news release from First Liberty, the firm representing Avell, read. “The city is going after him, because, earlier this year, Pastor Chris opened the church 24 hours a day, seven days a week. He’s seeking to serve homeless people.”
The statement continued, “In November 2023, the city sent a letter ordering the church to stop allowing overnight guests or face
The remainder of this article is available in its entirety at CBN
