USA TODAY NETWORK - Wisconsin

A 19-year-old church band member was arrested this week and charged for allegedly molesting two teenage girls who attend the church where he played guitar.

Clayton R. Michener of Sheboygan is facing felony charges of first degree child sexual assault and sexual assault of a child under 16 stemming from incidents involving a 15-year-old girl and 12-year-old girl.

If convicted, Michener could face a maximum sentence of more than 40 years in prison.

City church staff released a statement noting that Michener was never employed by the church, and "was only authorized to play an instrument with the band. He was never in a youth leadership position whatsoever, and is a member of another church in the area."

Additional security measures are being put in place, the statement from the church said.

"We want to make it clear that he was not in a leadership position and, if he did attend any of the group discussions, he was never leader," Joy Apple, the office manager at City Church, said. "He only occasionally played guitar."

According to the criminal complaint:

A woman called City Church in Sheboygan voicing concerns that a band member at the church had molested girls in the youth group at the church. An investigation into the call lead church officials to identify two girls, a 15-year-old and 12-year-old, who had "inappropriate" contact with Michener, a guest musician in the youth worship band at the church.

The 15-year-old told police officers that she met Michener at the church youth group and recalled one incident where things had gone too far between the two. She said after a church function, Michener drove her to a parking lot and began kissing her. She told officers she did not want the contact, but went along with it because she was afraid what Michener might do if she tried to stop it.

During the incident, the girl said Michener placed his hand down her pants, then pulled down her pants and performed oral sex on her.

In a separate incident, a 12-year-old girl told officers that sometime in January, before church had started, she received a text from Michener telling her to meet him in the kitchen. She said he began kissing her when she got there and told her to "be quiet." She said he began touching her butt, but that she was able to get away and leave the room after making an excuse that she had to find her chap stick.

In an interview with officers, Michener said he met the 15-year-old while at a youth group at the church. He said he learned she had a crush on him, but said he initially told her they could not have a relationship because she was too young.

However, he said he felt alone after breaking up with his longtime girlfriend and began talking to the 15-year-old more because she "was an understanding person." He admitted to officers that things went too far while the two had been sitting in his car.

He also told officers that he liked the 12-year-old girl and said the only time he had romantic contact with her is when he asked her to meet him in the back of the church.