14 Victims of Child Sex Abuse Materials File Suit Against Former TX Pastor

David Walther could pay $150K per victim for possessing materials of their abuse.

On February 3, 2026, 14 women filed a civil suit against former Texas pastor of Faith Baptist Church, David Walther, 56. The suit comes after Walther’s 2023 guilty plea to an “enhanced charge of possession of child pornography.”

Faith Baptist Church photo via Google Maps / Insert of David Walther

In the criminal investigation, law enforcement found over 100,000 explicit images and 5,000 videos of children—labeled child sexual abuse material (CSAM)—stored on two different hard drives. Some children were found to be as young as 3 years old. After law enforcement identified some of the victims in the materials and notified them in July 2023, 14 elected to confirm they were children who had been victimized.

The plaintiffs in the civil case each identified themselves as being younger than 12 years old at the time of exploitation in the materials in Walther’s possession. The plaintiffs seek $150,000 each in restitution, a set amount of liquidated damages under federal law 18 U.S.C. 2255. While the victims are seeking the full amount of liquidated damages, $150,000, the courts may also award punitive damages in addition to this amount.

Also known as Masha’s Law, the statute allows victims to seek restitution from those convicted of possessing CSAM that contains images of the victims. Enacted in 2006, Masha’s law allows victims to seek further accountability beyond the criminal verdict due to the fact that the images remain in circulation online with the potential to harm and re-victimize.

According to the new lawsuit, investigators found that Walther sought out CSAM and downloaded it while on church property through the peer-to-peer file-sharing network BitTorrent. In his confession, Walther admitted to first seeing child sexual abuse materials when he was 10 years old and actively began seeking it out in his 40s. He told FBI agents that he operated in a cycle of downloading the content, consuming it, and then deleting it in a fit of guilt.

After the investigation’s conclusion by the FBI San Antonio Division’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich, Jr., said, “This case was especially disturbing given the defendant’s position of trust in the community.”

After pleading guilty in 2023, Walther was sentenced to 70 months with an additional 10 years of supervised release, with the judge ordering him to pay $61,000 in restitution. According to The Roys Report, Walther has only paid $3,495 in restitution. Walther is currently serving his sentence in a federal prison in California.

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EDITOR’S NOTE: MinistryWatch exists to help donors become more effective stewards of the resources God has entrusted to them. So, why does MinistryWatch report on sex crimes? These stories are tough to read and sometimes even tougher to report, but we think they are vital to our mission to bring transparency, accountability, and credibility to the evangelical church. Donors who are supporting these ministries need to know this information. Ministry leaders and others can learn lessons from these stories. Victims feel supported.  To read more about why and how we report these stories, read “Why MinistryWatch Reports On Sex Crimes.”

Another reason we report on sex crimes is to highlight for ministry and church leaders the importance of employing best practices for hiring and supervising employees in Christian environments.

Below is a list of best practices, curated from content on ministrywatch.com. These are adapted from discussions on Christian ministries, churches, and Christian educational institutions.

Clarifying Mission and Faith-Based Requirements

• Clearly define and document the organization’s religious mission to guide all hiring decisions, ensuring that faith alignment is central.
• Assess personnel needs based on what is required to fulfill the mission, recognizing that requirements may vary by role (e.g., teachers in a Christian school might need to model faith in curriculum delivery).
• Develop detailed job descriptions that explicitly link positions to the mission, including necessary faith commitments, conduct standards, and how they connect to the religious identity.
• Require candidates to affirm a statement of faith (e.g., a restatement of the Apostles’ Creed) to ensure they share the organization’s beliefs, as this is protected under federal laws like Title VII for religious nonprofits.
• Implement policies where employees assent to the mission, receive training on their role in it, are held accountable, and are treated consistently in evaluations or issues.

Avoiding Nepotism and Conflicts of Interest

• Create written anti-nepotism policies prohibiting direct reporting relationships between relatives (e.g., spouses or siblings) and limiting family members’ involvement in hiring, firing, or reviews.
• Establish boundaries to prevent conflicts, such as excluding relatives from decision-making roles in personnel matters.
• Promote transparency and open communication with staff and stakeholders about family hires to build trust and address potential issues.
• Adhere to any denominational guidelines, such as restrictions on family members serving on oversight boards or committees.
• Use resources like sample policies from the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) and seek professional advice to tailor policies.

Thorough Vetting and Background Checks

• Conduct comprehensive investigations into candidates’ past, especially regarding allegations of misconduct like abuse, using independent firms if needed for objectivity.
• Create confidential channels for reporting concerns or additional information during the hiring process.
• Make relevant assessment findings public (while protecting sensitive details) to demonstrate integrity.
• Include spousal interviews or family vetting to assess overall fit with organizational values, though this should be handled carefully to avoid legal risks.

Legal Compliance and Conduct Expectations

• Hire based on shared faith and mission alignment, as federal law (e.g., Title VII) allows Christian organizations to prioritize believers without discrimination claims.
• Enforce a code of conduct aligned with “Judeo-Christian” values (e.g., prohibiting gossip or certain personal behaviors), but ensure it complies with anti-discrimination laws and does not overreach into protected areas like pregnancy or religion.
• Train new hires on core values, such as working “as unto the Lord,” to integrate them into the ministry culture.
• Be aware of limits: Secular aspects of the organization cannot mandate specific religious practices, and at-will employment allows flexibility but must avoid violations of federal protections.

These practices emphasize stewardship, accountability, and protection against legal challenges, such as those from employment laws or state requirements.