Tag Archives: Youth Pastor

The Osceola Gazette reports: A man the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office says served as a youth pastor at a Kissimmee church, the eldest son of its lead pastor, is charged with sharing and storing child sexual abuse material. Ezequiel Rodriguez, 22, of St. Cloud was charged Thursday with ten second-degree felony counts of possession of photos or videos of sexual …

Penn Live reports: A Cumberland County man accused of sexually molesting a 9-year-old girl in a McDonalds will spend less than a year in prison, per a sentence handed down Tuesday afternoon. A judge sentenced Roy Andrews, 77, to four months to a year in prison for touching a 9-year-old girl’s genitals in April 2024 while they sat in a …

Miami’s ABC affiliate reports: A former youth pastor convicted of “placing a hidden camera in the girls’ bathroom” at a Christian camp in Oregon is now facing new disturbing charges ― this time in South Florida, according to a federal criminal complaint. Authorities said they nabbed Jacob Melvin Hart, 45, of San Juan Capistrano, California, with child sexual abuse videos …

Jackson, Tennessee’s ABC affiliate reports: In June 2024, then 39-year-old Ryan McElrath, a former youth pastor at Fellowship Bible Church in Jackson, was booked into the Madison County jail on charges involving inappropriate sexual conduct with a minor. In February 2025, McElrath pled guilty to “use of a facility and means of interstate commerce to persuade, induce, entice a minor …

Wausau’s CBS affiliate reports: A former Wisconsin Rapids youth pastor will spend 10 years in prison and 5 years on extended supervision for sexually assaulting a child while working as a youth pastor in 2003. James Lane, 53, pleaded guilty to the charge in April and was convicted as a result. Attorney General Josh Kaul and Wood County District Attorney …

Wichita Falls’ NBC affiliate reports: According to DPS Sgt. Juan Gutierrez, Texas Rangers served a warrant and arrested 31-year-old Nathan Patrick Roach Friday, May 30, 2025, for child grooming, a third-degree felony. He was then booked into the Archer County jail. According to a release, Rangers were called on March 18th to assist the Holliday Police Department with the allegation …

The Independent reports: A Florida youth pastor faces over 20 charges of sexual abuse of foster children in his care, including a six-year-old girl who he allegedly abused “for years.” Daniel R. Lamppin also used his role as an employee at a local branch of Chick-fil-A to gain access to youngsters, according to the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office. Lamppin, 40, …

From the Justice Department: A former youth pastor was sentenced today for Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor and Possession of Child Pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge John F. Heil, III, sentenced Chaz Chinsethagid, 34, of Jenks, to serve 168 months imprisonment, followed by lifetime supervised release. Upon his release, Chinsethagid will also be required …

The Santa Barbara Independent reports: Sheriff’s detectives arrested a Goleta man for several alleged felony child sex crimes on Friday, May 9. The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office is now “reaching out to the public to identify additional survivors and provide safety information for parents monitoring children’s social media,” it said in a statement on Monday. Detectives identified Shaun Donald …

Goldsboro, North Carolina’s CBS affiliate reports: A children’s ministry pastor at a Raleigh church was arrested Tuesday following an investigation into the distribution of child sexual abuse material in Wake Forest, police said. According to the Wake Forest Police Department, detectives with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force executed a search warrant at a home on Thornrose Way. The …

The Yakima Herald-Republic reports: Prosecutors charged an Outlook youth pastor with raping a teenage girl he knew. In addition to five charges each of second-degree rape and third-degree child molestation, Benjamin Felix Guerra, 32, was also charged with three counts of third-degree child rape and a single count of communicating with a minor for immoral purposes, according to a six-page …

Law & Crime reports: A youth pastor in Kansas will spend nearly three decades behind bars for stabbing his wife and kids because the family was going to be evicted from their home due to his piling debt. District Judge Jason B. Billam sentenced 42-year-old Matthew Lee Richards on Wednesday to 188 months in prison for one count of attempted …

Denver’s Fox affiliate reports: A pastor employed by Word Alive Church was arrested Tuesday after reported incidents of sexual assault on juveniles while he was a youth pastor there. Joshua Lucero, 28, was charged with one count of sexual assault on a child by one in a position of trust by the 17th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. The Thornton Police …

Jefferson City’s KJLU reports: A former church youth ministry volunteer in Phelps County pleaded guilty in federal court to a child pornography offense. Bradley Colvin, 52, of Rolla, was arrested last March following a Missouri State Highway Patrol investigation into online child pornography. Colvin was identified as a suspect after he shared child pornography online with a person who was …

Atlanta First News reports: A youth pastor at an Alpharetta church was arrested Wednesday on several child pornography charges. Daniel Menelaou was charged with six counts of possession or control of any material depicting a minor in sexually explicit conduct. The charges stem from several sexually explicit videos involving children being shared through a messaging app, arrest warrants state. Arrest …

The Denver Gazette reports: Stephen Hutto, 45, was booked into the El Paso County jail and facing a felony charge for sexual assault on a child by one in a position of trust. He is currently the pastor at Highland Baptist Church in Boone, east of Pueblo, and previously worked as a youth pastor at Fountain Independent Baptist Church in …

Michigan Live reports: A former church leader will stand trial on 60 charges related to sexual abuse after a Washtenaw County judge added 30 more counts based on preliminary testimony. Supporters of the eight men and one boy who testified against Zachary Radcliff, 29, could be heard crying in the courtroom as Judge J. Cedric Simpson read off the additional charges. …

Little Rock’s NBC affiliate reports: Andrew Apple, who later became a youth staff member at a Northwest Arkansas church, is accused of sexually abusing at least two underage victims over several years, according to court documents. The first victim, whose identity was redacted, reported that the abuse started when they were around 13 years old while volunteering with Apple at …

Grand Rapids’ ABC affiliate reports: A Muskegon County church leader, who attorneys say held a “secret obsession” with child pornography, learned how long he’ll spend in jail. Daniel Byron DeVries of Fruitport Township was sentenced to 4 to 10 years in prison Wednesday. DeVries was arrested back in March. He originally faced six felony counts, but pleaded guilty to two: …

Houston’s ABC affiliate reports: Forty-two year-old Lance Hoffpauir was arrested right near his home, and he was accused of sending x-rated messages to an undercover officer, who he thought was an underage girl. “He was asking for pictures, sending a bunch of different things, and asking a bunch of different stuff we met the elements to charge him with online …