KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) — A judge has dismissed a motion to drop charges against a former Kalamazoo pastor who is accused of paying teens for sex.

The judge denied the motion to dismiss the human trafficking charges against Strick Strickland who faces 11 charges. He used to be the pastor at Second Baptist Church.

Strickland’s lawyers argued the charges were already litigated during his wife, Jazmonique Strickland’s case and since they were dismissed in her case by the magistrate, they can’t be litigated in his case.

Jazmonique Strickland faced several charges: three counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct, two counts of child sexual abusive activity and three counts of human trafficking a minor. All charges were dismissed during a preliminary hearing in May.

The judge said in May there was not enough evidence to show Strickland used her position at a Kalamazoo public high school to coerce a victim into sex.

The incidents allegedly happened between 2015 and 2018.