Florida Pastor Charged With Child Porn, Sexual Abuse

Not many people think of their pastors as immoral people, but the truth is that many of those who work for churches commit crimes. Many of these crimes involve theft and fraud, but a large number also involve something way worse: sexual crimes involve young children.

A Florida pastor was recently arrested and charged with numerous felony charges involved child pornography and sexual abuse. The 43-year-old man from Palmetto was arrested by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office in mid-June and charged with six counts of child porn production, six counts of child porn possession, and two counts of capital sexual battery. That was in addition to the four counts of child porn possession he was charged with earlier in the month. When the pastor was arrested by the Internet Crimes Against Children division the first time, it was because law enforcement officials found out that he was using cryptocurrency to purchase sexually explicit images of children online.

Detectives performed a forensic search of the man’s cell phone and found images of him sexually battering a child. They also uncovered 12 images of child pornography in the man’s possession. He had produced the images, with one photo showing the pastor abusing a 2-year-old. Authorities also found as many as 10 hidden cameras in his home and the church office.

The man, who was the senior pastor at Palm View Baptist Church, resigned from the position before his arrest. Palm View Baptist Church went on social media to acknowledge the pastor’s arrest and stated that they would make a statement at a later date. The church has not posted anything on Facebook since June 20.

Palm View Baptist Church describes itself as a diverse group of people committed to following Jesus. It is also considered a close-knit family even though the congregation totals nearly 200 members. Church leaders informed the congregation of the pastor’s  arrest and the charges. One church member was shocked, stating that what the man is accused of “is about the worst in the world.”

Authorities expect more criminal charges in the near future. The sheriff is disappointed in the man, given that he claims to be a man of God. He called the pastor a liar and a sexual predator.

Contact Us Today

Child porn is appealing to many people. Even those who are supposed to have high moral standards, such as pastors and other religious folks, are drawn to the images.

You cannot fight child porn and abuse charges on your own. You need a strong defense that only a Florida child pornography lawyer from the Law Offices of Gilbert A. Schaffnit can provide. We have more than 40 years of experience, so you can count on us to use our knowledge of the laws and legal system to your advantage.  Schedule a consultation with our office today by filling out the online form or calling (352) 505-1799.

Source:

christianpost.com/news/florida-pastor-charged-with-sexually-abusing-kids-child-porn.html