A former pastor who once led a ministry focused on changing sexual orientation was arrested after investigators say he tried to meet what he believed was a 14-year-old for sex. Police allege weeks of explicit messages and photos sent over messaging apps led to a sting that ended in a traffic stop and criminal charges. The case has drawn attention because he once publicly renounced conversion therapy and apologized to the gay community.
Authorities say the suspect exchanged sexually explicit messages and images with an undercover officer posing as a minor between February and May. Investigators allege those communications were sent via Telegram and Snapchat as the suspect tried to arrange an in-person meeting. Records show the conversations included references to “forbidden love” and an image described in the investigation as a “white [male’s] torso laying in bed where the end of their penis was visible.”
The detective who posed as a 14-year-old told police that the suspect asked the fake teen to take an Uber and meet him on April 10. Investigators also say the suspect deleted many messages out of concern of getting caught. Those deletions became part of the case timeline that led detectives to set up the arrest.
The man at the center of the case had a prior public pivot that made headlines more than a decade ago. He had shut down a conversion ministry and publicly shifted toward building bridges with LGBTQ people, even offering an apology that read, “He apologized to the gay community for ‘years of undue suffering and judgment at the hands of the organization and the church as a whole.'” That statement was paired at the time with a pledge that his new work would prioritize peace, noting “peace to be at the forefront of anything we do in the future.”
Police arrested the suspect during a traffic stop at Aloma Avenue and Strathy Lane. He faces charges including solicitation of a minor, transmission of harmful material to a minor, and unlawful use of a two-way communication device. Bond was set at $15,000, and a judge ordered that he not have any contact with people under 18 years old while the case proceeds.
Officials emphasized the sting was aimed at preventing harm and protecting children online. “Today our detectives stopped a predator before he had the chance to harm a child. … Parents, please monitor your children’s internet and social media activity — you are the first line of defense,” reads a from the Orange County Sheriff’s office. Investigators urged caregivers to stay alert to apps and messages their children use and to report suspicious contacts promptly.
The arrest has reignited debate about trust and accountability for public figures who switch positions on controversial issues. Whatever the outcome in court, this case underscores the risks posed by anonymous or deceptive online interactions and the role of sting operations in child-protection efforts. The accused now faces a legal process that will determine whether the allegations lead to conviction and what penalties might follow.
https://x.com/OrangeCoSheriff/status/2056802001606877581
