TPD Arrests Church Employee for Allegedly Sexually Assaulting 16-Year-Old Girl
The Leon County Sheriff’s Office recently arrested a 30-year-old church employee for allegedly assaulting a teenager who attended the church he served at. The suspect was arrested and charged with:
- Sexual assault of a minor
- Cruelty toward a child
- Aggravated battery on a child
- Use of a computer to lure a child
- Obscene communication
- Travel to meet after using a computer to lure a child
He is currently being held at the Leon County Detention Facility. According to the Leon County Sheriff’s Department news release, the suspect committed “multiple sexual acts” on a 16-year-old that occurred on church grounds between July and October. Detectives began their investigation on October 9 before issuing a warrant for the suspect’s arrest.
LCSO in its press release originally referred to the suspect as a “youth pastor” but the church’s website from November listed him as “a worship leader”. The suspect has served as the 9 a.m. service’s worship leader since April 2020. Before this, he served in the church’s youth and college ministries, according to a now-deleted biography.
Understanding the charges
Florida’s Computer Pornography and Child Exploitation Prevention Act (847.0135) makes it unlawful to use a computer or any electronic device to seduce, solicit, lure, or entice or attempt to seduce, solicit, lure, or entice a child or another person believed by the person to be a child, to engage in unlawful sexual conduct with a child or with another person believed by the person to be a child. In other words, the law makes it a crime to use a computer to solicit a child for sexual acts. This is what the aforementioned defendant is accused of. He is accused of luring a 16-year-old girl to his parish for the purpose of committing sexual acts. This crime is considered a third-degree felony under Florida law. It is punishable by a maximum of five years in state prison.
The law also makes it an even worse crime to travel to meet a minor once they have been solicited. Under 837.0135(4), any individual who travels any distance for the purpose of engaging in an illegal sexual act with a child can be charged under this statute with traveling to meet a minor. This is considered a worse crime because it involves both the act of enticing the child and traveling to meet them. When police set up sting operations, they wait for the suspect to travel to meet the supposed victim who is actually a police officer. When they travel to meet the minor, they are charged with the crime of traveling to meet a minor. This is considered a second-degree felony under Florida law and is punishable by up to 15 years in state prison.
Talk to a Tallahassee Sex Crimes Criminal Defense Lawyer Today
Luke Newman, P.A. represents the interests of those who have been charged with serious crimes in the Tallahassee area. Call our Tallahassee criminal defense lawyers today to schedule an appointment, and we can begin preparing your defense immediately.
Source:
yahoo.com/news/tallahassee-worship-leader-facing-charges-205405399.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAI2CXT1aCCriQNha8MmhKPx2xnD9LijospFUyGGXkikhNpTYxdPuCmZNkFLhyPEAZ2NRXkZbJ0W35wThL4Wjvp15cBjNLjl4QMTyiPpZYICRxidGc4jEg0qIgbJNRjrwFlFOoaSXbWfPG27SrlydF-9izmKMuAnNX42-yyO8ZAbQ
