A sexual abuse scandal has hit the quiet city of Duluth after Clint Massie was criminally convicted of sexually abusing multiple girls from a local church. The alleged coverup that enabled Massie appears to go back decades and span multiple states, including Minnesota and South Dakota. According to an article published by Pro Publica, the Old Apostolic Lutheran Church in Duluth was ground zero for the sexual abuse of children by Clint Massie, a member of the congregation, over the course of more than two decades. Survivors say that Daryl Bruckelmyer, a preacher and leader in the local Duluth church, enabled and excused Massie's abuse of children for just as long.
According to the article:
Over the course of about 20 years in two states, Massie had, according to court documents and by his own admission, sexually abused children within the Old Apostolic Lutheran Church, or OALC, community. He touched girls under blankets when their parents were present, in the backseat of a car with other passengers — even in the pews at church. His abuse was such an open secret among the tight-knit congregation that mothers warned their daughters to stay away from him.
Some former victims, as adults, confronted preachers, including Bruckelmyer, about what Massie had done to them. Church leaders told Massie to stay away from the congregation’s children, and they sent him to a therapist who specialized in sex offender treatment.
In December 2024, Massie pleaded guilty to four counts of felony criminal sexual conduct with victims under the age of 13. In March, he was sentenced to 7 1/2 years in prison. No church officials have been charged relating to Massie's crimes.
Horowitz Law attorney Jessica Arbour is a native of Duluth, Minnesota, and one of the nation's most respected attorneys for survivors of sexual abuse in religious institutions. If you have been hurt by Clint Massie, or anyone else associated with the Old Apostolic Lutheran Church in Duluth, contact her confidentially via e-mail today or contact our law firm at 888-283-9922.