Youth Pastor and GODSTYLE Network Founder was 1 of 46 Men Arrested in Texas Sting
Last month, police arrested 46 men in a massive undercover prostitution sting in Texas. Among those detained was a Fort Worth youth pastor who doubled as a Christian media influencer.
In January, nearly a dozen law enforcement agencies participated in “Operation Demand Suppression,” a two-day joint operation with the Department of Homeland Security’s Blue Campaign in honor of Human Trafficking Awareness Month.
Among the men, police arrested LaMarcus Strickland, 35, a youth pastor. Fox News reported that arrests also hauled in a high school teacher and football coach, a volunteer firefighter, a hockey player, and the director of operations for a major Texas hospital network.
Social media accounts say Strickland was ordained as a pastor at Compass Church.
Compass Church confirmed to MinistryWatch that Strickland was an employee at the Compass NFW campus for less than a year in 2018.
Executive Pastor Dave Toney said, “We have had no connection with him since that time. Mr. Strickland passed all background and reference checks during his employment.”
As a pastor, Strickland worked as an area director with the First Priority of America in Fort Worth. First Priority is a non-profit youth organization supporting student-initiated, student-led Christian clubs on middle and high school campuses.
After the arrest, First Priority removed Strickland’s name and background information from their website. Additionally, the Fort Worth Division took down its Facebook page.
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A list of policies and procedures for visiting a First Priority Campus Club says all adults are to attend a training session (in person or online), fill out a background check, and fulfill the child protection training before going on a school campus.
According to Conan Daily News, in February 2021, Strickland was a student minister at CrossCreek in Justin, Texas. CrossCreek Justin’s Twitter and Facebook are now inactive.
We contacted several leaders at First Priority Forth Worth and CrossCreek Network for comment.
Strickland was also founder of GodStyle Network and podcast host of SRYNOTSRY. Almost all links and social media have been taken down or made private since his arrest.
Now that solicitation of prostitution is a felony in Texas, the solicitation of prostitution is considered a felony and is punishable by up to two years in prison and a $10,000 fine
Main photo: LaMarcus Strickland / Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office.
