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Former Pastor in Texas Faces More Child Sexual Assault Charges After Second Victim Comes Forward

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A Vernon, Texas, former pastor awaiting trial on charges that he sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl after giving her methamphetamine faces three additional charges of sexual assault of a child after he revealed another victim during a phone call to his wife from jail. 

Brian Pounds, who was arrested in July in connection with the first case and is being held in Wichita County Jail on $200,000 bail, spoke of another alleged victim by first name on the call, the Fort Worth Star Telegram reported, and told his wife that if additional charges were to be filed against him, “I’m a dead man,” according to a probable cause affidavit filed by a Texas Ranger.

Pounds is the former pastor of First Assembly of God Church in Vernon. The complaint that put him in jail last month said he had groomed the teen girl for sex by getting her a job cleaning houses and giving her methamphetamine, and had been having sex with her for about a month. 

Talking to his wife from the jail, Pounds spoke of his involvement with another girl, leading investigators to interview a now 23-year-old woman who said Pounds also sexually assaulted her as a 15-year-old.

She said he groped her during a game at the church, per the Star Telegram, and in one incident asked her to come to church under the auspices of a youth group activity then locked her in his church office and forced her to engage in sex acts.

At one point he put a gun to his head and threatened to kill her and himself if she told anyone, the affidavit said. A .38 caliber gun was found in his home when he was arrested. 

The assaults allegedly continued for more than two years, both at the church and at Pounds’ Vernon home. 

His wife denied knowledge of her husband engaging in sex acts with the girl, the affidavit says.

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Anne Stych

Anne Stych is a writer in Charlotte, North Carolina.

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