The Black Collar Crime Series relies on public news stories and publicly available information for its content. If any incorrect information is found, please contact Bruce Gerencser. Nothing in this post should be construed as an accusation of guilt. Those accused of crimes are innocent until proven guilty.
Jacob Barnett, a youth pastor at Catawba Valley Baptist Church in Troutville, Virginia, recently pleaded guilty to child sex crimes.
In August 2025, Baptist Press reported:
Authorities say Jacob Barnett used various social media accounts to solicit sexually explicit material from underage girls across state lines while serving as youth pastor at Catawba Valley Baptist Church, leading to his arrest on Aug. 7.
Barnett, 34, was apprehended by FBI agents Aug. 6 in North Carolina and is being held at the Catawba County Detention Center in North Carolina without bond, according to media reports.
A May 18 tip led the FBI to investigate a TikTok account appearing to beling to a teen boy named “Jodie Johnson.” That individual had contacted a 15-year-old girl in Michigan and, after leading her to exchange phone numbers and days of persistent messaging, convinced her to send a sexually explicit video of herself.
The investigation revealed that the account belonged to Barnett, with phone records confirming he had sent the messages and routinely interacted with minors online. His TikTok account followed “thousands of young girls.” Barnett also used other social media accounts such as Snapchat and Discord to pose as a teenager and solicit sexually explicit videos from minors.
Catawba Valley Baptist church released a statement on Aug. 8, stating the congregation was “devastated” over the news.
“We are deeply grieved by these allegations. Our prayers are with anyone who may have been impacted, and we ask the Lord for comfort, healing, and justice,” it read.
“As a church, we remain fully committed to the highest standards of protection, safety, and care for every child, student, and family who is part of our fellowship. We continue to take every measure possible to maintain a safe environment for all.
“We are cooperating with the proper authorities and will refrain from additional public comment while the legal process continues. In this difficult moment, we are leaning on the grace of God and seeking His wisdom and peace.
Last week, Barnett pleaded guilty to his crimes.
A youth pastor pleaded guilty Monday, December 9 in a case involving attempted child sex crimes, according to court records.
Jacob Ryan Barnett, 34, former youth pastor at Catawba Valley Baptist Church, was arrested by FBI agents in North CarolinaAugust 6, 2025 on charges of solicitation of sexual material from minors.
The FBI received a tip that Barnett had attempted to groom a 15-year-old girl living in Michigan. Investigators discovered Sunday, May 18, 2025, the 15-year-old girl received a message that appeared to belong to a teen boy who called himself “Jodie Johnson”, according to court records.
Barnett faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum punishment of life.
Bruce Gerencser, 69, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 48 years. He and his wife have six grown children and thirteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.
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