Vermont Ministry Director Charged in Abuse Case

Child Evangelism Fellowship state director arrested after undercover sting operation.

Federal agents arrested Andrew Buzzell, state director of Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) of Vermont and an elder at Green Mountain Baptist Church in Center Rutland, on Aug. 7 following an FBI undercover sting operation targeting online child exploitation.

Green Mountain Baptist Church / Insert of Andrew Buzzell / Photos via Facebook

Buzzell, 34, was charged in federal court with knowingly distributing child sexual abuse material. According to the criminal complaint, federal investigators tracked multiple online accounts distributing obscene media and communicating with an undercover agent posing as a parent offering a child for sexual abuse.

Buzzell maintained a dark online presence using handles such as “kinkyvt1231,” “woodman1241” and “Princesspantyboy.” Through these accounts on messaging platforms like Kik, he distributed explicit materials, including a video depicting the sexual abuse of a young child. Federal authorities traced the activity to his IP address, phone number and personal email after the platform reported the illicit media to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.

Investigators said Buzzell solicited pictures of a 9-year-old girl and expressed intent to engage in abuse. During questioning after his arrest, he admitted to sharing the materials and said he had been considering sexually abusing a 10-year-old child he knew through his church community.

Following his arrest, Green Mountain Baptist Church voted unanimously to remove Buzzell from leadership and church membership. In a statement, the church expressed a desire for “complete justice, as well as comfort and healing for all impacted individuals.”

CEF of Vermont said it terminated Buzzell’s employment immediately and that the organization maintains zero tolerance for misconduct. Buzzell had served as state director since 2024 after volunteering with the ministry since 2023, according to public tax records.

MinistryWatch reached out to Child Evangelism Fellowship with a series of questions about its vetting procedures and oversight in Vermont. A CEF spokesperson declined to answer specific questions, instead directing MinistryWatch to a third-party crisis communications firm, which provided this statement:

“Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) is aware of the situation in Vermont, and the individual in question has been terminated. CEF has zero tolerance for such misconduct and is fully cooperating with law enforcement. CEF is committed to upholding the highest standards of morality and personal conduct that have guided the ministry since its founding in 1937. CEF maintains a strict Child Protection Policy designed to protect children and guide the conduct of those serving. Due to any future legal proceedings, no further information can be provided at this time.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle M. Arra is prosecuting the case; Assistant Federal Public Defender Barclay Johnson is representing Buzzell. The FBI’s Violent Crimes Against Children Unit conducted the investigation as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006. Buzzell faces up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted.

Arra emphasized the severity of the allegations given Buzzell’s professional focus on youth and children’s ministries. Buzzell made his initial federal court appearance Aug. 10 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle, who ordered him released on 24-hour home confinement under strict conditions, including a complete ban on internet access and unsupervised contact with minors.

Buzzell waived his right to a preliminary hearing, which was originally scheduled for Aug. 31.

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