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.
Casey Goslin, a youth pastor at several Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) institutions, stands accused of buying and selling child pornography.
A 46-year-old youth group leader has been arrested after being accused of having child sex abuse material in Arizona, federal officials said. Casey Goslin, of Phoenix, a youth group leader with multiple religious organizations, was accused of being involved with a platform used to livestream child sexual abuse, according to an Oct. 21 news release by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The children in the material were provided by sex traffickers in the Philippines, which led ICE Homeland Security Investigations agents to acquire a search warrant, officials said. The electronic devices seized during the search revealed Goslin used the usernames “live:.cid.bbdbec6f18b26922” and “live:.cid.de5ca094f7bdd45” when online, officials said. He was arrested on charges of attempting to produce child pornography and possession of child sexual abuse material, officials said. Due to his online presence and being a youth group leader, officials are asking for help in identifying potential victims.
A Lutheran youth ministry leader in Phoenix has been federally charged for producing and spending thousands on child sexual abuse materials.
The accused is Casey Goslin, 46, who worked as a youth director for several organizations tied to the Grand Canyon Synod, one of 65 in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
Goslin was arrested Thursday by ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Tucson police, according to a press release from HSI.
Goslin allegedly used the Skype username “live:.cid.bbdbec6f18b26922” to buy and sell the explicit materials in 2024, according to a criminal complaint. In one conversation with a suspected child sex trafficker in the Philippines, Goslin exchanged digital tokens for a photo of a toddler performing sexual acts on another toddler.
Authorities subpoenaed PayPal and discovered that Goslin allegedly spent around $3,700 in 101 payments for similar graphic images. Each transaction cost on average from $1-$50, the complaint said.
In April 2025, HSI agents searched Goslin’s home, vehicle, and person and discovered additional explicit materials and “child erotica” on his computer and in WhatsApp on his phone.
Authorities added that Goslin produced the materials using another Skype username. He coerced a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purposes of producing a “live visual depiction” in April 2023, the complaint said.
Goslin has been suspended from all his roles in the Synod, Bishop Deborah Hutterer said in a statement.
He worked in Synod’s youth ministry and advisory team, she noted. According to the Synod website, Goslin also worked as a youth director and director for the West Valley Young Adult Community.
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.
Your comments are welcome and appreciated. All first-time comments are moderated. Please read the commenting rules before commenting.
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.
Jon Sheptock, a worship pastor at First Montgomery Baptist Church in Montgomery, Texas, stands accused of distributing child pornography. First Baptist is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention.
A former worship pastor and Christian music singer who shared his testimony of physical challenges is facing charges of distributing child pornography.
Jon Paul Sheptock, 49, was the worship minister at First Montgomery Baptist Church when detectives received information in August that he was in possession of and involved in producing child sexual assault materials. Those materials included videos and images of children engaged in sexual conduct.
After an investigation to establish probable cause, detectives attempted to arrest Sheptock at his residence in Gatesville on Sept. 26, but he wasn’t here. Sheptock was eventually located and arrested at a local women’s prison, where he had been ministering to inmates.
Senior Pastor Chris Gober of First Montgomery Baptist released a statement on Sept. 27 informing the church of Sheptock’s arrest and his immediate removal “from all responsibilities at the church.”
“He did not have responsibilities overseeing children in the church or school except occasionally in a large group setting with other adults,” said Gober. “At this point, we have no information that indicates any of the children in our care were involved, but we are taking every precaution to protect our kids and to maintain the integrity of our ministry.”
According to written testimony released from the Montgomery County Precinct 3 Constable’s office and covered by local media, the victim was a 17-year-old high school senior nine years ago when she believes Sheptock stole a nude photo of her from her iCloud account.
“After [Sheptock] sent the image of the victim, he told her that he wanted more explicit images of her. [Sheptock] then sent her a video depicting someone being physically assaulted, accompanied by a statement implying that he did not want that to happen to her,” the affidavit said.
It continued that the victim didn’t come forward at the time because “her parents’ strong religious beliefs” led her to worry about their reaction that she had taken a nude photo of herself.
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She further testified that Sheptock showed multiple nude photos of adults and young girls on his computer. A text message sent to the victim last October included a nude photo of young girls.
Sheptock is facing two to 20 years in prison.
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A Sept. 29 update from First Montgomery stated that, per the investigating detective, no alleged victims had been connected to the church. The most recent statement on Oct. 7, however, reported a new allegation against Sheptock “from an adult connected to our church.”
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.
Your comments are welcome and appreciated. All first-time comments are moderated. Please read the commenting rules before commenting.
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.
Michael Deckinga, Vice President for Advancement at Mid-America Reformed Seminary in Dyer, Indiana, stands accused of distributing child pornography.
The chief fundraiser at a confessional Reformed seminary is facing federal charges of distributing child pornography, court documents confirm.
Mid-America Reformed Seminary Vice President for Advancement Michael Deckinga, 41, is being held at the Hammond, Indiana, city jail. He is awaiting an August 27 hearing before Magistrate Judge John E. Martin, according to a motion filed by public defender Peter L. Boyles.
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An indictment believed to detail Deckinga’s alleged crimes is under seal. An arrest warrant states Deckinga “committed violations of 18 U.S.C. § 2252A(a)(2), distribution of child pornography,” between November 2024 and May 2025. No further details were disclosed.
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Deckinga was not a Mid-America graduate but earned a B.S. in history with minors in theology and business from Trinity Christian College, a Reformed school in Chicago. At the time of his hiring, Deckinga and his wife, Kim, resided in Beecher, Illinois with four children, whose ages in 2016 ranged from ten months to five years.
He was also said to be “chairman of the deacons” at Lynwood United Reformed Church in Lynwood, Illinois. The Rev. Nick Alons, Lynwood’s pastor, did not immediately respond to a phone message or email requesting comment.
Venema told the Christian Renewal publication in 2016, “Mike’s strengths are his familiarity with and enthusiastic commitment to Mid-America’s statement of its purpose as well as his understanding of how students who aspire to the gospel ministry need to be prepared academically and vocationally for this calling.”
Reached by phone at his home, Dirk Deckinga, Michael’s father, expressed astonishment at his son’s arrest.
“I really don’t think he did (it),” the elder Deckinga said. “But I don’t really know anything else about this. I’m just for a loss for words, and my wife and I . . . we just can’t believe it that this happened. We’re just waiting patiently for any information that we get from the lawyer.”
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.
Your comments are welcome and appreciated. All first-time comments are moderated. Please read the commenting rules before commenting.
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.
In 2023, Daniel Merrick, pastor of Congregation Yahshua Messiah Gathering, a Messianic Jew congregation in Smethport, Pennsylvania, and a Christian musician was charged with 570 counts of child pornography involving indecent contact, second-degree felonies; 316 counts of child pornography involving nudity, third-degree felonies; and one count of criminal use of a communications facility, a third-degree felony.
Merrick told law enforcement that he had an “addiction,” and only started looking at child porn because his wife wouldn’t have sex with him. Merrick called his “addiction” a curiosity.
A Christian musician, pastor, and former Bradford store owner is in McKean County Jail, charged with more than 880 felony counts of child pornography.
Daniel W. Merrick, 64, of 858 Route 446, Smethport, is charged with 570 counts of child pornography-involving indecent contact, second-degree felonies; 316 counts of child pornography-involving nudity, third-degree felonies; and one count of criminal use of a communications facility, a third-degree felony.
According to the criminal complaint, State Police Computer Crimes received a CyberTip from Synchronoss Technologies, which is Verizon Cloud.
Between July 8 and Aug. 10, Synchronoss became aware of eight images and one video of child pornography involving indecent contact and one image of child pornography involving nudity, all of which had been uploaded to Synchronoss’ infrastructure.
Synchronoss provided to police the cell phone number which uploaded the images; the phone was registered to Merrick, the complaint stated.
On Jan. 9, Trooper Robert Whyel with the state police computer crimes unit served a search warrant for the content on the Verizon Cloud account for that phone number. The results included 178 additional images of child pornography involving indecent contact and 139 involving nudity. The images were saved on a Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G; there were numerous photos of Merrick on the account as well, the complaint stated.
On Feb. 10, a search warrant was executed on Merrick’s residence, and Whyel spoke with Merrick on the scene. He told the trooper that he “began viewing pornography due to his wife refusing to be intimate with him,” the complaint stated, which Merrick said led to a “two-month curiosity in child pornography.”
The complaint read, “The curiosity never entered the real world and was only a fantasy.”
He told police that he had an addiction and would seek help, the complaint read.
Reviewing Merrick’s phone, the trooper found 383 images of child pornography involving indecent contact and 176 involving nudity, including an image that was located on the CyberTip, according to the complaint.
Merrick was arraigned Friday before District Judge William Todd in Smethport. He was jailed in lieu of $20,000 bail. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for March 9.
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According to Merrick’s website, he holds a Ph.D., is a singer, musician, author, preacher, pastor and composer. He completed Bible college and went into the U.S. Army in 1979 serving in active duty, the reserves and the National Guard until 2004. The site indicated that Merrick is now the pastor of a Messianic Jewish congregation in Bradford and has a weekly show on The Now Network Christian Television.
Pastor of Congregation Yahshua Messiah Gathering, a messianic Jewish followship, R. Capt. Daniel W Merrick PhD hosts “Faith Radio – The Latter Rain Chronicles” on Anchor FM and “Yah’s Way TV” on The Now Network Christian Station world wide. Dan completed his first Album in 1993 entitled “Aliyah” with 17 songs which featured “Like Stephen” which charted on the “CCM Countdown with Bob Sour” on Christian Radio Stations as a top 40 in 1994. Dan was born in Cleveland Ohio and raised on “church music” singing in the choir and as a teen was in the gospel singing group “The Teen Revivers” at Aspinwall Church of God Mountain Assembly. The group opened for the singing Rambo’s in the 1970’s in Cleveland. Dan grew up listening to Al Jolson, his dad’s favorite artist from WW2 era 1900’s who was the star of the first talking (sound) movie “The Jazz Singer” in 1929. Dan began composing music in High School and after having a few songs stolen, common in the industry, in 1987 copyrighted his first song. Dan has appeared on CTV, TCT TV and has weekly shows on The Now Network entitled “Yah’s Way TV” which broadcasts to 236 million people syndicated on Cable and Statilite TV Stations in Europe, USA, Africa, Middle East, Israel and via apps online to billions. Dan’s music is a collection of styles from Rock, Jazz, Gospel and Country with a stong Classical influence. Dan is the Son of “Lowes Girl” Fox Pin-up Model and Advertising Artist Laura Sloan Merrick Aka “Lolly” cousin of Jimmy Stewart.
In August 2024, Merritt was sentenced to 46 to 92 months in state prison followed by three years of probation.
A Pennsylvania pastor has been sentenced after police found him to be in possession of hundreds of images and videos of child pornography.
On Tuesday, August 12, the McKean County District Attorney’s Office announced that Daniel Merrick, a pastor in Smethport, was sentenced for possessing nearly 700 images and videos of child porn after attempting to withdraw a plea agreement.
Merrick claimed he was in possession of the content “as part of an investigation he had undertaken for law enforcement into Ukrainian and Russian children who are victims of child pornography.”
Later, Merrick told police that he and his wife had not been intimate in years, which sparked his curiosity to look at child pornography.
The DA’s Office stated that Merrick claimed he “never touched a child and that it was only a fantasy.”
Merrick will serve a sentence of 46 to 92 months in state prison followed by three years of probation. He will also have to register as a sex offender.
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.
Your comments are welcome and appreciated. All first-time comments are moderated. Please read the commenting rules before commenting.
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.
Jim Mustain, pastor of Preston Trail Community Church in Frisco, Texas from 2019-2023, stands accused of possessing child pornogpraphy.
A former Frisco pastor was arrested by Lewisville police on five child pornography charges, jail records show.
Jim Mustain faces four counts of possession or promotion of lewd visual material depicting a child and one count of possession of child pornography.
He served as a community pastor at Preston Trail Community Church between 2019 and 2023, according to the church’s website.
“We are deeply saddened and disturbed by these charges and unequivocally condemn any form of sexual misconduct,” the church said in a statement. “During Mustain’s time on our staff, Preston Trail had no knowledge of any behavior or activity related to these charges. Nevertheless, immediately upon learning of the allegations, we retained a third-party law firm to conduct a thorough, independent investigation.”
The church said its investigation found “no indication that any children connected to Preston Trail were involved or harmed.”
Mustain, 64, was arrested April 25 in Ashe County, North Carolina after Lewisville Police issued warrants for his arrest, the department confirmed to KERA News Thursday. He was then extradited to Texas and booked into Denton County Jail on May 14.
His bond is set for $500,000 and Lewisville Police say the investigation is ongoing.
Mustain has been involved several communities across North Texas. He is the founder of public charity group Loving Community at Denton County, served on the Board of Directors of the Lewisville Area Chamber of Commerce, volunteered at Lewisville ISD schools, and previously held Place No. 7 on the City of Lewisville’s Community Development Block Grant Advisory Committee. He was also involved in other Christian-based organizations like Christian Community Action and Forge Dallas.
Additionally, Mustain’s served in pastoral positions at other churches in different states and in North Texas, including Valley Ranch Baptist Church in Coppell from 2005 to 2014, according to his LinkedIn profile.
“Prior to the week of April 21, 2025, we had no knowledge of any behavior or activity related to these charges,” Valley Ranch said on its website. “At this time, we are not aware that any children connected to VRBC were involved or harmed.”
Lewisville ISD said in an email to KERA News they had notified parents of Mustain’s arrest and confirmed he had previously been involved with some campuses for several years, most recently at Durham Middle School and Creekside Elementary last school year.
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.
Your comments are welcome and appreciated. All first-time comments are moderated. Please read the commenting rules before commenting.
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.
Shaun Hertlein, a youth pastor at South Coast Church in Goleta, California and an assistant coach at Dos Pueblos High School in Goleta, stands accused of sending sexual images to a minor, communicating with a minor with the intent to commit specific crimes, and possession of obscene images of a child.
A Goleta pastor who also coached high school students has been arrested on felony sex crime charges involving minors.
Shaun Donald Hertlein, 42, was taken into custody Friday, May 9, after Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s detectives served him with a warrant. Detectives began investigating Hertlein in April.
He faces charges including sending sexual images to a minor, communicating with a minor with the intent to commit specific crimes, and possession of obscene images of a child. His bail is set at $500,000.
Sheriff’s officials said Hertlein worked with children at a church in the 5800 block of Cathedral Oaks Road. Online videos list him as a pastor at South Coast Church at that same address. Social media posts also show his affiliation with the Santa Barbara Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Superintendent Hilda Maldonado confirmed Hertlein is an assistant coach at Dos Pueblos High School in Goleta on Monday.
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.
Your comments are welcome and appreciated. All first-time comments are moderated. Please read the commenting rules before commenting.
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.
Cody Robinson, a camp youth director at Pine Lake Bible Camp in Caldwell Ohio, stands accused of numerous crimes related to the possession of child pornography.
A youth director at Pine Lake Bible Camp has been arrested following an investigation into child sexual abuse material by the Noble County Sheriff’s Office as part of the Southeastern Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force.
According to Your Radio Place, Cody S. Robinson, 29, was taken into custody on May 17, 2025, just outside of Caldwell.
Authorities say the arrest followed a cyber tip received by the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, which reported video files of child pornography linked to Robinson.
A search warrant was executed at Robinson’s residence, leading to his arrest. He is facing a range of charges, including:
One count of first-degree misdemeanor Falsification
One count of second-degree felony Pandering Obscenity Involving a Minor
Two counts of third-degree felony Attempt to Commit an Offense
Two counts of fourth-degree felony Pandering Obscenity Involving a Minor
Two counts of fourth-degree felony Pandering Sexually Oriented Matter Involving a Juvenile
Two counts of fifth-degree felony Illegal Use of Minor in Nudity
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The investigation remains ongoing. Authorities urge anyone with relevant information to contact the Sheriff’s Office directly.
The Southeastern Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force is part of Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission, which coordinates multi-agency responses to combat human trafficking and related crimes.
In the wake of the arrest, Pine Lake Bible Camp announced on social media that all camps scheduled for June 2025 have been canceled.
The announcement cited “unforeseen circumstances” and offered an apology to affected families for the short notice.
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.
Your comments are welcome and appreciated. All first-time comments are moderated. Please read the commenting rules before commenting.
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.
James Henry, pastor of Crossroads Assembly of God Church in Delight, Arkansas and a foster parent to over 70 children, pleaded guilty to 11 counts of possessing child sexual abuse material and was sentenced to 110 years in prison.
An Arkansas pastor has been sentenced to 110 years in prison after he plead guilty 11 counts of possessing child sexual abuse material.
The pastor, James Vincent Henry, received 10 years per count, which he will serve consecutively for a total of 110 years.
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A warrant for Henry’s arrest was issued on October 14, 2024, after two cyber tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children were made regarding Henry’s activity on the social messaging platforms Snapchat and Kik.
The pastor, who worked at the Crossroads Assembly of God Church in Delight, Arkansas, originally faced 100 counts of Possession, Viewing, and Distribution of Child Pornography.
James Vincent Henry, pastor of Crossroads Assembly of God in Delight, Arkansas, has been charged with 100 counts of possessing, viewing, and distributing child sexual abuse material.
According to the church’s website, the 43-year-old pastor has been married to his wife Brittney for 12 years, and the couple has three children.
Henry’s wife is also listed as a pastor of Crossroads Assembly of God.
Before becoming pastor of Crossroads Assembly of God, Henry served as a youth pastor at four different churches: Lacey Assembly of God, McGehee First Assembly of God, Mountain Pine First Assembly of God, and Newsong Church in Centerton, Arkansas.
An Arkansas State Police (ASP) Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigation led to the arrest yesterday (Oct. 15) of James Vincent Henry, 43, of Delight, for 100 counts of crimes related to the possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM),” ASP said in a statement. “Henry is the pastor of [a] church in Delight.”
ASP reported that on Wednesday, Sept. 25, “Special Agents with the ASP ICAC Task Force executed a search warrant in Delight in reference to two cyber tips from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children made through the online messaging applications Snapchat and Kik.”
Agents then reviewed “digital evidence” before obtaining an arrest warrant on Monday (Oct. 14). Pike County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Henry less than 24 hours later.
Henry has been charged with “100 counts of Possession, Viewing, and Distribution of Child Pornography (CSAM).”
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.
Your comments are welcome and appreciated. All first-time comments are moderated. Please read the commenting rules before commenting.
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.
Daniel Menelaou, a youth pastor at the Alpharetta, Georgia campus of the sixteen-campus Australian global megachurch Futures Church (formerly Influencers Church), stands accused of child pornography possession. Futures Church is affiliated with the Assemblies of God.
Officials at Futures Church headquartered in Australia were left in shock last Wednesday after Daniel Menelaou, a youth pastor with the Alpharetta, Georgia, campus of the global megachurch, was arrested and charged with possession of child pornography.
Arrest records from the Roswell Police Department lists six counts of possession “or control any material depicting minor in sexually explicit conduct,” against Menelaou who began working at the Alpharetta campus of the church in August 2023, according to his LinkedIn profile.
A report from Fox5 said Roswell Police and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation raided 28-year-old Menelaou’s home after receiving a cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
“During the course of that search warrant, we seized several electronic devices that will be analyzed for additional evidence,” Roswell Police Officer Tim Lupo told the news outlet.
Investigators said the youth pastor, who also worked as a student mentor at Temple Christian College in Australia prior to his work in Georgia, uploaded multiple videos that “depict a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct” and shared the images using the messenger app called Kik.
“Our hearts are heavy as we share heartbreaking news with you. In recent days, one of our youth [pastors] working overseas, Daniel Menelaou, was arrested and charged with possession of materials depicting minors in sexually explicit content. Like you, we are deeply shocked, grieved, and blindsided by this news. We also want to be absolutely clear that these charges have no connection to anyone in our church community,” wrote Pastor Tony Cornbridge of Futures Church in Australia.
“We understand that this is difficult to process, and our hearts go out to all those affected, as well as Emma and their families. In moments like these, we lean into the grace, wisdom, and justice of God, trusting Him to bring healing, clarity, and comfort.”
Futures Church, which is formerly Influencers Church, is a Pentecostal church affiliated with the Assemblies of God denomination. According to the church’s website, it has 16 campuses located in Australia, the United States and Indonesia.
Reacting to the charges, another spokesperson for the church said in a statement to The Christian Post that they condemned Menelaou’s actions in “the strongest possible terms.”
“Until his arrest, we had no prior knowledge of any allegations or indication of wrongdoing. The details outlined in the arrest warrant are deeply disturbing and stand in total opposition to our unwavering commitment to protecting children,” the spokesperson said.
“Our hearts go out first and foremost to any victims who have been harmed. We remain committed to standing with all survivors of abuse, particularly children, whose suffering should never be ignored or minimized,” the spokesperson continued.
“Futures Church has a zero-tolerance policy regarding any form of abuse. The moment we became aware of Daniel Menelaou’s arrest, we placed him on immediate administrative leave. However, the full extent of these charges was unknown to us until the last few hours and his position has now been terminated. Let us be unequivocally clear this behavior is reprehensible and has no place in our church.”
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.
Your comments are welcome and appreciated. All first-time comments are moderated. Please read the commenting rules before commenting.
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.
In 2018, Brian Werth, a youth worker at St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church in Rockville, Maryland, was sentenced yesterday to three years in prison for the sexual abuse of a church teenager.
A former youth minister at St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church in Rockville was sentenced Tuesday to three years in prison for the sexual abuse of a teen parishioner, according to Montgomery County prosecutors.
Brian Patrick Werth, 34, had been arrested in 2016 in connection with the abuse of a then-16-year-old girl, to whom he had sent explicit text messages for two years and had sexual contact with her earlier that year. He was charged with a fourth-degree sex offense, sexual abuse of a minor and second-degree assault.
Judge Karla Smith sentenced Werth to one year for the sex offense charge and two years for the assault charge, according to a State’s Attorney’s Office press release. The two terms will be served consecutively, followed by five years of probation with COMET, a sex offender monitoring program that will include periodic polygraph and psychosexual testing. Werth is also required to register as a sex offender for 15 years.
Smith went beyond state guidelines, which recommend zero to six months for the charges, in the sentencing. Ramón Korionoff, a spokesman for the State’s Attorney’s Office, said the sentence was appropriate.
“It is our hope that this above-the-guidelines sentence will send a strong message that people in position of authority and trust must not abuse that power over the young people they are supposed to be serving,” he said in a statement. “Hopefully, yesterday’s sentence will be the first step in healing for the victim and the church community in this matter.”
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Werth, who lived in Montgomery Village at the time, had known the victim through the church, and learned that she “adored him,” according to prosecutors. They began texting, and police later discovered he had sent graphic and sexual texts to her since the summer of 2014.
On about May 20, 2016, Werth kissed the teen and had other inappropriate sexual contact with her during a youth event at the church, according to police.
St. Elizabeth’s had fired Werth in 2016 after the pastor received a complaint against him that summer, according to a statement from the Archdiocese of Washington at the time. The pastor contacted the Archdiocese’s Child and Youth Protection Office, which then reported the case to county police.
After his release from prison, Werth was accused of one count of solicitation of a minor to engage in the production of obscene matter, three counts of possession with intent to distribute pornography, and ten counts of possession of child pornography.
A Prince George’s County man was arrested and charged Tuesday after a Maryland State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigation developed evidence supporting charges of possession of child pornography and the attempted solicitation of a minor.
The suspect is identified as Brian Werth, 37, of Beltsville, MD. Werth, a registered sex offender, is charged with solicitation of a minor to engage in the production of obscene matter, three counts of possession with intent to distribute pornography and 10 counts of possession of child pornography. He was taken to the Maryland State Police College Park Barrack for processing before being transferred to the Prince George’s County Detention Center, where he is being held without bond.
On June 24, the Maryland State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force received a CyberTip report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children involving the distribution of child pornography online. The investigation led to the identification of the suspect and his residence in Prince George’s County.
Through the course of the investigation, troopers discovered that Werth had also been communicating with a minor in North Carolina. Troopers, with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations, arrested Werth Tuesday as he went to visit his probation officer in Hyattsville, Maryland. Investigators also served a search warrant at the identified suspect’s residence.
Finally, Werth had his day in court and was convicted of on two counts of production of child pornography; coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity; and committing a crime involving a minor by a registered sex offender. Werth was sentenced to 37 years in prison.
A 39-year-old registered sex offender was convicted by a jury Wednesday on multiple charges related to creating pornography involving minors.
After a three-day trial, Brian Patrick Werth, a 39-year-old from Beltsville, was found guilty by a jury on two counts of production of child pornography; coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity; and committing a crime involving a minor by a registered sex offender.
Prosecutors said between January and June 2021, Werth pressured a 14-year-old and 15-year-old girl to create sexually explicit content and share it with Werth via apps. The teens testified that he used coercion methods such as showing them porn with other teens, flattering them and helping them buy lingerie and “school girl outfits.”
During that same time period, prosecutors said Werth was also talking to an 11-year-old girl and asking her for nude photos.
Werth faces a minimum of 25 years in federal prison, up to 50 years for the child pornography charges, and an additional 10-year mandatory consecutive sentence for the commission of a new offense involving a minor while being required to register as a sex offender, and between 10 years and life in prison for coercion and enticement of a minor. If and when he’s released from prison, he will be required to continue registering as a sex offender.
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Werth’s previous conviction stems from a 2016 case where he was accused of sexually abusing a 16-year-old girl he allegedly spent two years grooming.
“There was an extended period of grooming,” Assistant State’s Attorney Hannah Gleason said at the time of his arrest. “He’s a danger to this juvenile and to the community.”
Werth was a youth minister at St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church in Rockville at the time and was accused of abusing her at a youth ministry “lock-in” overnight event.
“She felt helpless to resist or object to the defendant’s advances and solicitations based upon their historical relationship and her belief the defendant had been so helpful and kind to her in the past,” investigators wrote in court documents.
Beltsville resident Brian Patrick Werth, 40, has been sentenced to 37 years in prison after being convicted by a jury at a three-day trial for producing child sexual abuse material.
Werth was convicted of coercing and enticing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct and engaging with a minor as a registered sex offender.
According to court documents, between January 2021 and June 2021, Werth communicated with underage girls, ages 11 and 15, through Internet-based applications WhatsApp and Kik.
During these interactions, prosecutors said that Werth persuaded, coerced, and enticed the minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct by producing sexually explicit videos of themselves.
Additionally, Werth engaged in child sexual abuse as a member of the Maryland Sex Offender Registry for a previous sex offense conviction.
In addition to his prison term, Werth was also ordered by a judge to serve 25 years of supervised release. He also must register as a sex offender where he resides, is employed, and where he is a student when he is released.
Werth also is barred from having contact with children under the age of 18 without prior permission. He also will submit to computer monitoring.
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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