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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Pastor allegedly admits that he planted hidden camera in church bathroom for 2 years: 'It's devastating'



A now-former pastor in Michigan is accused of planting a hidden camera in a church bathroom for at least two years, according to authorities.

Will Johnson, 37, had been a worship pastor/director at the 2|42 Community Church in Brighton, which is roughly 20 miles north of Ann Arbor. However, Johnson was terminated after a church staff member allegedly found a hidden camera in a "non-public, unisex bathroom in the [church’s] backstage area,” executive pastor of ministry operations Eric Rauch told the Detroit News.

'We so deeply want our community to know about the saving grace of Jesus Christ, and your world gets flipped upside down.'

Craig Ryan — chairman of 2|42 Community Church’s leadership advisory team — informed ChurchLeaders, “Will Johnson, our former worship pastor/director, confessed to church leadership that he placed the camera in that location, and he was immediately terminated.”

Church leaders notified local authorities, and officials with the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office on Friday night arrested Johnson at his home in Howell.

Johnson reportedly admitted to sheriff’s detectives that he had hidden a camera in a church bathroom intermittently for the last two years and targeted specific church employees who were known to use it.

On Sunday, Johnson was charged with tampering with evidence, using a computer to commit a crime, and surveilling an unclothed person — a felony.

If convicted, he faces a maximum of four years in prison for the tampering with evidence charge, up to two years for the charge of surveilling an unclothed person, and as many as two years for the charge of using a computer to commit a crime.

Johnson was being held at the Livingston County Jail where his bond is set at $250,000.

Electronic devices were seized from his home and will undergo forensic analysis, the sheriff's office said.

Church leaders said in a statement posted to Facebook, "We are shocked and deeply saddened by this crime and violation of our community. The protection, safety, and privacy of every person who enters our church is our priority. We are fully cooperating with the sheriff's office as this is an ongoing investigation."

Rauch said, "It's devastating. We care so deeply about our community. We so deeply want our community to know about the saving grace of Jesus Christ, and your world gets flipped upside down."

The 2|42 Community Church shared a video on YouTube detailing the disturbing allegations.

Ryan said in the video while fighting back tears, "At this time, the sheriff's office doesn't have any indication that cameras were placed elsewhere in the facility. Church leadership thoroughly searched all of our facilities yesterday, again today, and tomorrow. Out of an abundance of caution, we will engage the services of a third-party professional service to help us continue to do those sweeps."

Ryan noted that church officials at present don't know "the full scope of this crime."

“Our commitment to you is to be fully transparent and care for all the victims of this crime,” Ryan added.

Sheriff Mike Murphy stated, “All known victims have been identified and notified at this time.”

Johnson reportedly worked with the church for five years; he's scheduled to appear in court next Tuesday.

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Canadian pastor arrested again; prosecutor claims Artur Pawlowski influenced truckers to keep protesting after they agreed to stop: 'Overt threat to violence'



Canadian pastor Artur Pawlowski — who's made numerous headlines for nearly a year over his opposition to COVID-19 restrictions — was arrested yet again last week after giving an "impassioned" speech to truckers that a prosecutor said influenced them to continue protesting after they had reached an agreement to stop and also incited violence, CBC News reported.

Image source: Rebel News video screenshot

What are the details?

Protesters on Feb. 3 made a deal to leave the border crossing at Coutts in Alberta and go to Edmonton, the network said.

But that day Pawlowski gave what prosecutor Steven Johnston called an "impassioned" 20-minute speech to protesters, telling them to not give up and that there weren't enough police to deal with them, CBC News added.

"Less than two hours after reaching a deal to end the blockade and take it to Edmonton, truckers changed their minds," Johnston said in his argument that Pawlowski should be denied bail, the network noted.

During his speech inside Smugglers Saloon in Coutts, Pawlowski implored the truckers to stay and "hold the line." And while he did say "if this is our Alamo, then so be it," the pastor more than once said the truckers should protest peacefully and that their sheer numbers and trucks are enough.

"You have the power now," he also said, noting that he and others in the province "just want to be left alone."

“Hold the Line, Stand your Ground!” The speech that Fired up the Truckers by Pastor Artur Pawlowski www.youtube.com

However, Johnston called Pawlowski's words an "overt threat to violence," CBC News said.

Defense lawyer Chad Haggerty said "at no time did [Pawlowski] tell them to block the roads; he told them to remain and protest," the network reported.

What are the charges against the pastor?

Pawlowski was charged with mischief over $5,000 and interrupting the operation of essential infrastructure in a manner that renders it inoperative, CBC News reported, adding that since his Feb. 7 arrest, Pawlowski's supporters have raised $26,000 for his release and legal fees.

His bail decision should be reached this week, the network said, adding that if Pawlowski is convicted, he could face a fine of up to $10,000 plus six months in jail.

'He's never gonna back down'

Pawlowski's lawyer said his client remains in solitary confinement for 23 hours per day at the Calgary Remand Centre, Fox News reported, adding that vigils have been organized at Canadian embassies in the United States to protest the pastor's treatment.

Standing outside the prison, Pawlowski's son Nathanial told Rebel News "he's never gonna back down."

"They might as well lock him up and throw away the keys or put a bullet in him, because he's never gonna back down," he also told the outlet, adding that his father said his cell is "the most disgusting thing he's ever seen; it looks like it hasn't been cleaned in 10 years."

Nathanial Pawlowski also told Rebel News that his father's treatment is "only going to feed the flame and expose what this is really all about" and that "it's about control, it's about bowing to the government, it's about tyranny — it has nothing to do with safety or public health or the law."

Anything else?

Rebel News said Pawlowski has now been arrested five times over his opposition to the COVID-19 restrictions.

He first went viral last spring for kicking "Nazi" police officers out of his church and then after his arrest in May — handcuffed on his knees in the middle of a highway — for holding a service in defiance of COVID-19 mandates:

A heavily-armed SWAT team just took down a Christian pastor heading home from church. Police say he\u2019s charged with \u201cinciting\u201d people to go to church. This is the second pastor jailed this year. We\u2019re crowdfunding his lawyers at http://www.SaveArtur.com\u00a0pic.twitter.com/RZ913cQns3
— Ezra Levant \ud83c\udf41\ud83d\ude9b (@Ezra Levant \ud83c\udf41\ud83d\ude9b) 1620516112

In September he was arrested in headline-grabbing style on a Calgary International Airport tarmac, reportedly for contempt of court. In the wake of that arrest, he warned Americans that if they don't rise up, Soviet-style tyranny is "coming for you."

Last October, a judge ordered that Pawlowski must preach "science" as part of his sermons during probation.

Church pastor's little children hug him and cry — 'Bye, Daddy' — as he's arrested again for violating Canadian COVID-19 orders



A church pastor in Canada was arrested again for holding services in violation of Alberta province's pandemic gathering rules, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation News reported.

What are the details?

Tim Stephens of Fairview Baptist Church in southeast Calgary was arrested Monday for allegedly violating Section 127 of the Criminal Code by failing to obey a Court of Queen's Bench Order obtained by Alberta Health Services, the network said.

Stephens' little children hugged him and cried as police took him away from his home:

Image source: YouTube screenshot

Image source: YouTube screenshot

Soon an officer had Stephens place his hands on the side of a police vehicle while the officer patted down the pastor:

Image source: YouTube screenshot

"Bye, Daddy!" one of his children cried out tearfully.

Image source: YouTube screenshot

As he waved goodbye to his family from a barred window, his kids reached out and held his hand:

Image source: YouTube screenshot

Image source: YouTube screenshot

Stephens was arrested last month for similar violations, but CBC reported that charges were withdrawn because the injunction was improperly served.

Calgary police told the network Stephens' second arrest was "for hosting an illegal outdoor gathering that did not comply with current restrictions."

AHS physically closed the Fairview church to prevent access to the building until Stephens could "demonstrate the ability to comply with these restrictions," CBC said.

Under Stage 2 of Alberta's reopening plan, places of worship are required to limit attendance to one-third of their building's maximum fire code occupancy, the network reported.

"For several weeks, AHS has attempted to work collaboratively with leadership at Fairview Baptist Church to address the ongoing public health concerns at the site," police said in a statement to CBC. "It is only when significant risk is identified or continued non-compliance is noted that AHS resorts to enforcement action."

The network added that Stephens was previously fined and ticketed for defying public health regulations by holding over-capacity gatherings and not enforcing mask use.

What happened to Stephens this time?

CBC said Stephens has been released from custody and is set to appear in court June 28.

"We will challenge his arrest and defend against the new 'health' charge," Jay Cameron, a lawyer with the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, told the network.

Here's video of Stephens' arrest on Monday:

Pastor Tim Stephens arrested on new charges after 'underground' church servicesyoutu.be

Another pastor arrested, his church ordered closed for violating COVID-19 rules in Canada



Yet another Canadian pastor was arrested for violating a province's COVID-19 lockdown measures.

Pastor Tim Stephens and his family have been cornered by @CalgaryPolice following worship today. @RebelNewsOnline https://t.co/8OBowjhMHY

— Adam Soos ⳩ (@ATSoos) 1621199805.0

What are the details?

Calgary police arrested Pastor Tim Stephens outside Fairview Baptist Church after a late-morning Sunday service, the Calgary Herald reported.

Alberta Health Services said public health measures were violated, a prior warning had been issued, and Stephens had been fined multiple times for repeatedly breaking COVID-19 lockdown rules, the paper said.

Image source: YouTube screenshot

Stephens was charged with organizing an illegal in-person gathering, inciting or inviting others to meet illegally, and promoting an illegal gathering, the Herald added.

Image source: YouTube screenshot

Image source: YouTube screenshot

The paper said Stephens was released from custody Monday pending a civil contempt hearing next month — but AHS ordered the church closed.

The church and its members had been openly defying restrictions that most recently limit attendees to 15 people at a service, the Herald said, adding that the church's defiance angered neighbors.

The paper spoke to a neighbor who said he's been monitoring the church's behavior for months and is relieved by the arrest and church closure.

"It's heartening that after a long period of waiting and advocacy, the leadership is being held accountable and the facility is being shut," Ken Lima-Coelho told the Herald. "The last thing we need is a super-spreader in our neighborhood."

Lima-Coelho added to the paper that his 13-year-old daughter has been afraid of walking past the church.

What has the pastor been saying?

Stephens and other church leaders have said in-person services would continue regardless of consequences, the Herald reported, and that Fairview held services in an undisclosed location over the winter. The paper characterized such services as "clandestine."

Stephens wrote on the church's Facebook page that biblical teaching compels the congregation to meet in person, the Herald said.

"Our actions are not borne out of 'COVID fatigue' or simply having enough of the restrictions," he wrote, according to the paper. "Rather, our actions are borne out of theological commitments to the Lordship of Christ and his instruction to the church as revealed in scripture."

Stephens added that Fairview doesn't recognize the state's authority to intrude in church affairs, and he questions the medical necessity to limit worship, the Herald reported.

UPDATE: Lawyer says Pastor Tim Stephens unlawfully arrested under amended AHS orderyoutu.be

Anything else?

Another Canadian pastor, Artur Pawlowski, was arrested earlier this month for holding a church service in defiance of Alberta's public health orders.

Pawlowski made big headlines in April when a viral video showed him booting police and a health official from his church while calling them "gestapo."

Also in April, fences went up around GraceLife Church near Edmonton as police and health officials shut down the place of worship for failure to comply with COVID-19 mandates. Days later worshipers tore down the fences — only to be met reportedly by 200 police officers in riot gear sent to disperse the crowd.

Why was this pastor ARRESTED for hosting church amid COVID lockdown?

Why was this pastor ARRESTED for hosting church amid COVID lockdown?