(May 20, 2008)—Former Prestonwood Baptist Church minister Joe Barron, 52, could be facing additional charges in Brazos County, where he was arrested in an Internet sex sting.
KBTX-TV reports that police will turn the case over to Brazos County prosecutors on Tuesday.
Police say Barron drove more than three hours last Thursday from Plano to Bryan to meet what he thought was a 13-year-old girl he had met over the Internet.
The girl was actually a Bryan police officer.
Inside his car alongside a hymnal, officers found a box of condoms and a Web camera, which police say they think was intended as a present for the teenage girl Barron expected to meet.
He was later released after posting $7,000 bond.
Bryan Police Sgt. Sharean Gideon, who was part of the team of officers waiting for Barron, told KBTX the conversations between the pastor and the officer who was posing as the teenage girl went on for nearly two weeks.
"They were very sexually explicit including what he wanted to do, and what he wanted her to do to him," Gideon said.
In one chat session, police said, Barron told the "teen" it would be "fun and an honor" to teach her about sex.
He later said, "How else are you going to learn?"
Gideon says those conversations could result in additional charges against Barron.
"If he gets sexually explicit, his intent is there, and that's a whole other charge. So each time can be a different charge," Gideon told KBTX.
Prestonwood’s senior pastor, Jack Graham, told church members over the weekend that Barron has resigned and apologized “for the injury this grievous situation has caused.”
Save
Email
Print
3 comments
Terms of Use -
Privacy Policy -
EEO Statement
-
FCC Form 388