Gabriel Jaden Chessor, born March 21, 2007, was arrested on July 22, 2025 and charged with Lewd or Lascivious Behavior- (800.04(5b): An offender 18 years of age or older who commits lewd or lascivious molestation against a victim less than 12 years of age commits a life felony)- and Obscene Material- Distribute/Transmit info harmful to minors (847.0138(2)), a third degree felony. This is case 2025-CF-001403-F in the Okaloosa County Court in Florida. He appears to be attending his parent’s church, at least on occasion.
An investigation was initiated on July 11, 2025. The crimes are alleged to have occurred between March 21, 2025 and May 13, 2025 at Chessor’s home, though other incidents were stated to have happened about two years prior when he was 16. When he did it again soon after he turned 18, it was stated that he told her it couldn’t happen again as he was 18 and could get “arrested for life.” However, text messages were found after then and Snapchat had been used to send pictures.
According to the probable cause affidavit, when Gabriel Chessor was interviewed on July 22, 2025, he “said he had been struggling with pornography and masturbation and had started to become ‘curious’ when he was around 15 years old.” He admitted to the two incidents when he was under 18, but at first would not talk about anything after he turned 18. However, when the text messages were mentioned to him, he did admit to them, as well as sending “several photos of his erect penis to the Victim via Snapchat” and to rubbing her vagina.
Bond was set at $102,500 and a surety bond was posted on July 24, 2025. A written plea of not guilty was entered, waiving his arraignment hearing.
As part of the conditions of his bond, he is to have no contact with the victim or their immediate family, he is to have no contact with minors, no internet access, he cannot have any device capable of internet access, and he is to reside with friends of the family in Dufunak Springs and may attend their church, but is to have no contact with minors there. In addition, every Wednesday he is to report in person or via telephone to the Okaloosa County Pretrial Services Office at the Crestview Courthouse. He has a GPS monitor.
On November 17, a motion was filed to modify his pretrial release, which was unopposed. This was to allow a temporary change in his residence. An order was issued by the judge on the same day.
Pretrial conferences were held on October 13 and December 8, 2025.
A pretrial conference was to be held on February 9, 2026, but a motion for continuance was filed on February 2. It was rescheduled for April 13, but another motion for continuance was filed on April 2, 2026.
On March 23, 2026, an unopposed motion was filed to modify his pretrial release to allow a temporary change in his residence. Yet another unopposed motion for this was filed on April 3, 2026. These were all changes for brief periods while Gabriel has been living with family friends.
On May 27, 2026 the defense held four depositions, at least some of which were via Zoom.
The last pretrial conference was held on June 8, 2026 and the next is set for August 10, 2026.
Gabriel Chessor is represented by Timothy Flaherty.
Gabriel Chessor is the son of Christopher “Shane” Chessor, pastor of Greater Vision Church in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Greater Vision is a Oneness Pentecostal church that appears to be independent, however Shane Chessor’s late father, James, used to hold license in the United Pentecostal Church from at least the early 1970s through some of the 1990s. Shane had been a youth pastor and an associate pastor of his father’s church back in the 1990s. Shane has long considered UPCI pastor Mike Dobbs of Mississippi to be his pastor.
At some point after our initial Facebook Post, Gabriel Chessor removed his Facebook profile, but an older one is still available as of the date of this article.
I originally posted about this on December 9, 2025 and June 19, 2026 on our Facebook Page.
This is not included in our sexual abuse series on the United Pentecostal Church as it is not related to them.
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