Timothy Myers, a Bible teacher at SonRise Church in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, was arrested last month and charged with “unlawful contact with a minor, aggravated indecent assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and criminal use of a communication facility.”
A Westmoreland County Bible study teacher is the latest person accused of trying to meet for sex with a person he thought was a teenage boy, police say.
Timothy Michael Myers, 32, of Latrobe, is the third person to be arrested in two days, accused of trying to meet with an undercover agent posing as a 14-year-old boy.
Myers is accused of exchanging sexual messages with the undercover agent, and then showing up to try and meet the person for sex.
Myers volunteered at a Greensburg church where he worked with children and taught a Bible study class within the past month.
He was arrested Wednesday evening after agents said he showed up at a Hempfield Township hotel thinking he was meet with a 14-year-old boy.
Agents were waiting for him when he arrived and, when questioned by investigators, Myers allegedly told them, “I hadn’t made up my mind if I was going to have sex with him, but I was prepared.”
The agent who posed as a boy online said the conversation began on a social networking app.
Myers is not facing charges for anything pertaining to the Bible study class or the church. The church’s pastor said Myers was not on the staff of the church and served only as a volunteer. The pastor said Myers was never left alone with children, and the church works to provide a safe environment for everyone.
The pastor added that Myers’ attendance and volunteerism is no different than anyone else’s at the church, and he is not credentialed or on staff in any capacity.
Police said Myers admitted to what happened and gave them a written statement.
Unity man who had newly purchased condoms when he arrived at a Hempfield hotel, allegedly to have sex with a person he believed was a 14-year-old boy, was raising funds for a church mission trip, according to authorities.
Timothy Michael Myers, 32, who picked up condoms at a Wal-Mart store 10 minutes before he was scheduled to arrive at the meeting location on Wednesday, instead was met by a state Attorney General’s Office agent.
Myers is charged with unlawful contact with a minor, aggravated indecent assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and criminal use of a communication facility. He posted $50,000 bond Friday.
Myers had been seeking donations on a GoFundMe page for a mission trip to Peru in July. An establishment there is connected to the Greater Johnstown Christian Fellowship, according to the page. Senior Pastor James Gay said Friday that Myers has no affiliation to the Johnstown church and will not travel on the mission trip.
On the GoFundMe page, Myers asked that donations for the trip be sent to SonRise Church in Unity Township. A message left at a number for the church was not returned Friday afternoon. Pastor Allen Runyon told Tribune-Review news partner WPXI that Myers volunteered with a Bible study group there and was always in the presence of another adult.
The donation page has raised $2,255, with a $2,200 goal.
Investigators said in a criminal complaint that Myers messaged a person he thought was a 14-year-old boy on a popular social networking smartphone application. Police did not name the app.
Myers allegedly solicited the boy for sex acts and arrived at the hotel with two condoms just before 6 p.m., when he was arrested. Police did not name the hotel. They found an opened box of condoms and a receipt for them in his car.
Myers admitted to the communication but told investigators that he hadn’t decided if he would go through with the sex encounter, according to the affidavit.
