GA Youth Pastor Arrested for Inappropriate Texts With Minors
The messages were consistent with grooming tactics, investigators say
Authorities have arrested and charged a Georgia youth pastor with obscene internet contact with a minor.
Benjamin Dalton Houser / Photo courtesy of Candler County Sheriff’s Office
On April 26, deputies from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) arrested Benjamin Dalton Houser (24), of Glennville, Georgia, on suspicion of sexual child exploitation.
The arrest came after an investigation, which began in March, showed Houser sent texts to two minors under his supervision at the church where he was a youth pastor. According to a GBI press release, the messages were consistent with grooming tactics.
At the time of his arrest, Houser was serving as a youth pastor at Cedar Street Baptist Church in Metter, Georgia.
Local news station WTOC 11 reported that Cedar Street Baptist Church released the following statement:
“Dalton Houser was approached about allegations of inappropriate and untimely conversations via text messaging with CSBC youth members. The lack of discernment with this behavior from someone in church leadership has led to Dalton resigning from his position as CSBC Youth Pastor effective on March 27, 2024. At that time, we contacted the Sheriff’s department and gave the evidence we had.”
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According to WTOC, an initial incident report said the Candler County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) responded to Cedar Street Baptist Church on March 29 to meet with church leadership about possible crimes against children. The CCSO then requested the GBI open an investigation. The Sheriff’s Department then turned the case over to the GBI, now the lead agency on the investigation.
Obscene internet contact with a minor is a felony, and Houser has been ordered not to contact anyone in the case. He is currently booked at the Candler County Jail on a $25,000 cash bond or $50,000 in property.
GBI says the investigation is active and ongoing. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Candler County Sheriff’s Office or the GBI regional investigative office in Statesboro.
Once the investigation is complete, authorities will give the case file to the Middle Judicial Circuit for prosecution.
EDITOR’S NOTE: 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. To read more about why and how we report these stories, read “Why MinistryWatch Reports On Sex Crimes.” You can find that story here.
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