Ohio GOP Commissioner Drenda Keesee Faces Resignation Calls After Son Tom Keesee Jr Convicted of 27 Sex Crimes

The Knox Republican Party has turned against one of its own elected officials, demanding Commissioner Drenda Keesee resign after her son was found guilty of 27 sexual offences against children.

The Knox County Republican Party called for Keesee to step down following the conviction of Gary 'Tom' Keesee Jr., who was found guilty of 11 counts of rape, 11 counts of gross sexual imposition and five counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor.

The verdicts were delivered by Judge Richard Wetzel at Knox County Common Pleas Court on Friday, 6 November. Keesee Jr. faces the possibility of life in prison and is due to be sentenced on 8 January 2027.

The case has also brought renewed scrutiny to his parents, Drenda and Gary Keesee Sr., who founded and continue to lead Faith Life Church.

Republican Chairman Says Commissioner Should Step Down

Knox County Republican Party chairman Fred Dailey demanded Drenda Keesee's resignation, citing sworn testimony that allegedly indicated she knew about her son's behaviour but failed to report it to authorities.

In a statement, Dailey said: 'Commissioner Keesee's failure to disclose her son's crimes and her performance as a Commissioner do not reflect the integrity and high standards we expect of our elected officials.'

The party also criticised her attendance record, claiming she had missed 21 commissioner meetings during 2026.

However, the trial did not establish precisely what either parent knew about the abuse or when they became aware of it. Drenda Keesee was not charged in connection with her son's offences and did not testify during the proceedings.

Family Testimony Raises Questions About What Parents Knew

Three women testified that Keesee Jr. sexually abused them when they were children, with some of the alleged abuse dating back to when they were as young as five.

All three had connections to Faith Life Church, where Keesee Jr. previously worked as a youth pastor and media director before stepping down in 2024.

During the trial, his brother Tim Keesee testified that he had discussed earlier abuse with their parents and asked them to keep his younger brother away from children at the church. Gary Keessee Sr denied knowing of the abuse before 2025 but acknowledged his son had mentioned and denied one woman's allegations.

Other family testimony also raised questions about whether Drenda had been informed. However, some accounts described what witnesses understood about her knowledge rather than conversations they had personally witnessed.

The defence challenged the women's credibility and argued that the allegations formed part of a conspiracy to damage the family's reputation. Judge Wetzel rejected those arguments, finding the three women's testimony credible.

Former Church Members Demand Accountability

The controversy has extended beyond the commissioner's political position, with former Faith Life Church members also calling for Drenda and her husband to leave the church's leadership.

Former member Laura Hicks said the verdict validated the victims' accounts, while another former member, Garrett Neal, argued that the church should no longer operate under the Keesees.

Reports said Drenda Keesee and Faith Life Church had not responded to requests for comment, while her son's defence team declined to comment on the calls for accountability.

For now, the convictions apply to Keesee Jr. alone. Whether his parents face further scrutiny over what they knew remains a separate question from the criminal case.