Pastor hit with 100 counts of possessing, distributing child pornography
An Arkansas pastor has been arrested and is facing 100 counts of crimes related to possessing child porn, according to police. The pastor has reportedly served in numerous roles as a youth pastor and fostered dozens of children.
Arkansas State Police said in a statement that its Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received two cyber tips from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children regarding a pastor.
‘They were blessed to be foster parents to 76 children in 4 years …’
Special agents with the state police executed a search warrant on Sept. 25.
During the investigation, agents reportedly found evidence that James Vincent Henry, 43, had possession of child pornography. The pastor allegedly obtained or distributed child porn on online messaging apps such as Snapchat and Kik.
Authorities obtained an arrest warrant, and Pike County sheriff’s deputies arrested Henry on Oct. 15.
Henry was charged with 100 counts of possession, viewing, and distribution of child pornography, and he’s being detained at the Pike County Detention Center.
Henry is the pastor of the Crossroads Assembly of God Church in Delight, and his profile was still on the church’s website Friday afternoon.
The site notes that Henry and his wife have been married for 12 years and have three young children.
“They love to serve others and to fellowship,” the profile says of the couple.
The profile indicates that Henry “has had the privilege to serve as youth pastor at Lacey Assembly of God, McGehee First Assembly of God, Mountain Pine First Assembly of God, [and] Newsong Church in Centerton, Arkansas.”
His wife “served in many roles as youth pastor, children church teacher, house mom, and other places she needed to fill in.”
The site states that the couple served as foster parents at the New Beginnings Children’s Home outside Centerton.
According to the church’s site, “They were blessed to be foster parents to 76 children in 4 years and then they moved to the transitional living program for young ladies 18-25 that needed some help getting life skills they need to be successful in life.”
The Facebook page for the Crossroads Assembly of God Church appears to have been set to private or was deleted as of Friday afternoon.
In related news
In June, a former youth pastor at four Texas churches was arrested by U.S. Marshals for alleged child sex crimes. Luke Cunningham faces charges of sexual assault of a child and aggravated sexual assault. Baptist News Global reported, “Prosecutors argued Cunningham is a violent offender who slapped and choked his victims into unconsciousness. They also claimed he is a manipulator and serial groomer who ensured his victims went on mission trips and camps, including out-of-state and international programs that were held in New Mexico and Guatemala.”
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