Rev. O. Jermaine Simmons Sr., pastor of the popular Jacob Chapel Baptist Church in Tallahassee, Florida, who recently authored a book focused on issues of godly manhood, was sent running for his life last Tuesday after one of his parishioners found him in bed with his wife.
A report from the Tallahassee Police Department said Simmons, 37, who is married with one child was caught in bed with Claynisha Stephens, 34, by the woman’s husband, Benjamin Stephens III. Both Claynisha and Benjamin are his parishioners.
The pastor, according to the police report, declined to press charges against Claynisha’s husband, but Claynisha has indicated in a sworn statement that she will be pressing charges against her husband.
Claynisha, who has been married for seven years, told police that she first met Simmons in 2014, but “they have been establishing a relationship” as of October 2016.
Last Tuesday, she said, Simmons came over to the home she shares with her husband and their children so they could “talk over starting a business, patents and trademarks, and providing less fortunate kids with clothes and shoes.” After their talk, they had sex.
While they were engaged, her 6-year-old son’s school was trying to get in touch with her to pick him up. Since she did not answer, the school reached out to the boy’s father.
Benjamin picked up their son and headed home only to discover his wife engaged with Simmons in their oldest daughter’s bedroom.
After seeing the pair having sex inside the room of his daughter, a furious Benjamin grabbed his handgun and reportedly screamed, “I’m gonna kill him,” referring to the pastor.
On hearing the threat, the frightened pastor fled the couple’s home naked without waiting to see what would happen. The enraged husband attempted to chase after the pastor but his wife stepped in front of him and begged him not to kill her lover in front of their son who witnessed the whole thing.
The frightened pastor had one of his other parishioners pick him up from where he was hiding and indicated that along with all his clothes, Claynisha’s husband had taken his car keys, wallet, business keys and other personal effects.
Police were eventually able to arrange for the return of the pastor’s belongings.
When Jacob Chapel the church which Simmons pastors was contacted, it was confirmed that Simmons remained the pastor of the church. When asked if any action had been taken against him regarding the incident, an official who did not identify herself declined to comment.
A former parishioner, who wished to remain anonymous, told CP that Simmons and his church had done a lot of good in the community prior to the incident.
“Before this incident that pastor and that church has done a lot of good throughout that community. [The church] helped people with bills, helped people find jobs, helped people get off drugs. There has been a lot of positive things done in this church,” he said.
According to the church’s website, Simmons is the ninth pastor of the more than 80-year-old Jacob Chapel and he is also a fourth generation pastor and former public school teacher.
