Ronnie Goines, the founding pastor of Arlington's Koinonia Church who was arrested last July on sexual assault and indecent assault charges, had the sexual assault dropped Wednesday, according to court records.
Court records show Goines was no-billed on the felony sexual assault charge, meaning a grand jury found insufficient evidence to charge him and he is no longer facing the charge.
"As counsel for Pastor Goines, I am pleased with the outcome of the grand jury’s investigation resulting in the no-bill of indictment that effectively acquits him of this heinous allegation," Goines' attorney Michael Heiskell said in an email to KERA News. "From the beginning we asserted his innocence in court and have remained steadfast in that position."
Goines is still facing a misdemeanor charge of indecent assault — which Heiskell said he will also seek a dismissal on — and a civil lawsuit filed by the same alleged victim in February against Goines and Koinonia Church.
"We appreciate the dedication and effort of local law enforcement and the District Attorney's Office in pursuing justice in the area," Boz Tchividjian, the attorney representing the woman, told KERA News in a text message Thursday. "We remain determined and committed to hold Mr. Goines accountable for his actions."
KERA reached out to Goines' attorney and will update this story with any comment.
Goines, 52, turned himself into Tarrant County Jail custody after the Arlington Police Department's sex crimes unit obtained two arrest warrants in July.
He stepped down from his position in August but announced his return during an October service, where he told KERA he was innocent of the charges he was facing.
“That’s just something that I did not do,” he said. “Not guilty, [I am] innocent.”
In February, the alleged victim filed a lawsuit against Goines and Koinonia Church, suing Goines for assault, and accused both the church and the pastor of negligence, fraud, intentional infliction of emotional distress, civil conspiracy, and sexual exploitation. The suit is seeking $1 million in damages.
The suit claimed Goines sexually assaulted the alleged victim on two separate occasions in 2023, and that the church failed to hold Goines accountable for his actions, despite other accusations in the past.
“Koinonia and Goines knew that the representations were false or made the misrepresentations recklessly without any knowledge of their truth and as a positive assertion,” the suit alleges. “For example, Koinonia knew that Goines had been involved in prior sexual abuse of a female.”
Penelope Rivera is KERA's breaking news reporter. Got a tip? Email Penelope Rivera at privera@kera.org.
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