The founder and director of a Niangua-based sober living program has been charged with six felony counts of Abusing an Individual Through Forced Labor, following a sweeping investigation that spanned multiple years and exposed a pattern of alleged exploitation.
Isaac Lee Tilden, the principal officer of Divine Compassion Ministries and operator of Compassion House, was formally charged on July 11 in Webster County Circuit Court.
He has been held with no bond in the Webster County jail and appeared for a bond hearing Tuesday, July 22. The request for bond was taken under advisement by Judge Justin Evans and a $100,000 surety bond was awarded. Tilden posted bond on Monday, July 28.
The charges stem from numerous allegations that Tilden used his position of authority to coerce court-ordered residents into unpaid labor under threat of being removed from the program, potentially sending them back to jail.
According to the probable cause statement, Tilden allegedly forced at least six individuals to perform extensive labor between 2023 and July 2025. The reported work included roofing, farm labor, moving personal and church property, running thrift and feed stores, and construction projects, including the building of a pole barn for which one witness said Tilden was paid $1,500.
Residents stated that refusal to comply resulted in threats of expulsion from the program, which would have violated their probation, parole, or bond agreements. Several residents said they were forced to write "scripture" passages hundreds of times as punishment, or were placed on what one former resident called the “Humble Me Crew”, a group assigned to perform long hours of unpaid labor.
Compassion House, promoted as a sober-living facility and spiritual rehabilitation program, advertises on its website that participants pay $500 per month and are mentored by “Pastor Isaac” and staff. The website states residents will be helped back into the workforce after an initial adjustment period.
But former and current residents painted a drastically different picture in statements to investigators. Multiple witnesses described crowded and unsafe living conditions—some living with up to 15 people in two-bedroom homes plagued by black mold, bed bugs, and inadequate plumbing and air conditioning.
Others claimed they were isolated from the outside world, forced to change phone numbers, delete contacts, and forbidden from communicating with former residents. One witness alleged they were ejected from the program after seeking addiction services elsewhere. Another alleged that Tilden professed romantic feelings for them while offering to waive rent in exchange for labor at his store.
Residents also described an atmosphere of fear and control, saying Tilden regularly cited his connections to judges or law enforcement and threatened to contact courts to revoke participants’ release terms if they did not comply.
While some labor was credited toward community service hours, many participants said they received no compensation or credit, even when performing physically demanding and sometimes hazardous work.
One former house manager told investigators, “There was no reward for doing the work, only punishment for refusing it.” Several former residents compared their experience to indentured servitude or slavery, rating the coercion between 8 and 10 on a 10-point scale.
Tilden operated Divine Compassion Church, Compassion House, and affiliated properties throughout Webster County. According to documents, around 30 men and women were typically enrolled in the program at any given time.
The case was filed under number 25WE-CR00529, and the investigation was conducted by the Webster County Sheriff’s Office.
The charges remain under investigation, and more victims may be identified. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact the Webster County Sheriff’s Office or the Webster County Prosecutors Office.
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