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The Guardian
13-08-2025
- The Guardian
Baltimore police arrest pastor accused of abusing six teens
A former Maryland youth pastor has been arrested on suspicion of molesting at least six teenagers, the Baltimore county police department (BCPD) has said, alleging offenses between 2006 and 2010. Thomas Pinkerton, 52, known as Pastor Tommy, allegedly told children in his youth group that it was normal for a pastor to kiss boys on the lips because that's how Jesus greeted his disciples, according to an arrest warrant recently made public. The arrest warrant alleges the abuse included inappropriate touching and kissing of six teenagers in Maryland who ranged in age from 13 to 19 – and that it took place both at the Central Christian Church, an Assemblies of God church in Baltimore county, as well as at Pinkerton's home. A seventh person – described as a man – reported abuse by Pinkerton in Georgia, according to the warrant. Pinkerton, who has since worked as a traveling evangelist in at least six states and in South America, Europe and Asia, was extradited from Georgia to Maryland on 6 August to face 24 felony and misdemeanor counts. He has pleaded not guilty, according to his attorney. Detectives started investigating Pinkerton after the accusers at the center of the accusations came forward in the fall of 2024. They alleged that Pinkerton would give them massages and rub their penises. According to the arrest warrant, several said Pinkerton would greet them with a 'heavenly kiss' or 'brotherly kiss' on the lips and described himself as their 'spiritual father'. Detectives are are now asking for anyone with additional information to come forward, believing there may be more victims than are known at the moment. Assemblies of God, the world's largest Pentecostal denomination, with nearly 3 million members across 13,000 churches in the US, has been hit with a number of sex abuse allegations. Central Christian said Pinkerton served on its staff more than 15 years ago, and individuals with similar accounts have come forward since the alleged abuse was reported to law enforcement. 'There is absolutely no place for abuse – ever – in the church,' Central Christian's lead pastor, Larry Kirk, said in a statement posted on its website. Assemblies of God officials said Pinkerton was never formally credentialed as a minister with the denomination. 'We are so saddened to hear of this report and are deeply concerned whenever reports like this come out,' said Benjamin Rainey Jr, secretary-treasurer of the Assemblies of God regional office that oversees Maryland. The New Chapel in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where Pinkerton once preached, said on its website that it had cut ties with Pinkerton before his arrest. 'We were heartbroken to hear of these serious allegations that occurred in Baltimore, Maryland, nearly 20 years ago, and communicated the situation to our church family after severing all ties with the accused several months back,' New Chapel's statement said. 'Our prayers and continued cooperation are toward justice for the victims.' NBC News recently reported that the ministry directed hundreds of students to Daniel Savala, a convicted sex offender seen by some as 'the holiest man alive'. Leaders of the church have pledged to make changes to prevent similar abuses in the future. Pinkerton's attorney, Justin Hollimon, told NBC that his client was 'completely shocked' by the charges. 'He is a pastor,' Hollimon said of Pinkerton. 'He gave his life to the community, worked for the community. He's anxiously waiting his day in court.'
Yahoo
12-08-2025
- Yahoo
Former youth pastor arrested after allegedly sexually abusing at least 6 teens
This article is part of 'Pastors and Prey,' a series investigating sex abuse allegations in the Assemblies of God. Thomas Pinkerton Jr. used to tell children in his youth group in Maryland that it was normal for a pastor to kiss boys on the lips, because that's how Jesus greeted his disciples, according to an arrest warrant made public last week. Kissing was just the beginning, several men from Pinkerton's former youth group told police. Pinkerton, 52, a youth minister known as Pastor Tommy, is being held without bond following accusations that he sexually abused six teens from 2006 to 2010 while working at Central Christian Church, an Assemblies of God church in Baltimore County. He was extradited from his home state of Georgia to Maryland last Wednesday to face 24 felony and misdemeanor counts in Baltimore County. His attorney, Justin Hollimon, said he pleaded not guilty. An arrest warrant said the alleged abuse included inappropriate touching and kissing of six teenagers in Maryland, who ranged in age from 13 to 19. The warrant said the alleged abuse happened at the church and at Pinkerton's former home in Maryland. A seventh man reported abuse by Pinkerton in Georgia, according to the warrant, and that report was referred to authorities there, officials in Baltimore County said. Detectives believe there may be more victims and have asked anyone with information to come forward. Pinkerton, who has worked as a traveling evangelist in recent years, was 'completely shocked' by the charges, his attorney said Monday. 'He is a pastor. He gave his life to the community, worked for the community,' Hollimon said, adding that he filed a motion Monday morning seeking another bond hearing for Pinkerton after a judge denied his release last week. 'He's anxiously waiting his day in court.' Pinkerton's arrest comes as the Assemblies of God, the world's largest Pentecostal denomination, with nearly 3 million members across 13,000 churches in the United States, is grappling with a string of child sex abuse allegations. As part of an ongoing investigation into the denomination's handling of abuse claims, NBC News published an investigation last week based on interviews, emails, court filings and police reports that examined how an Assemblies of God college ministry guided hundreds of students to the home of Daniel Savala, a convicted sex offender lauded by some as 'the holiest man alive.' Days later, Assemblies of God leaders addressed the issue of sex abuse in the denomination during a biennial gathering in Orlando, defending their handling of the Savala case while also pledging to make changes to prevent similar abuses in the future. Do you have a story to share about the Assemblies of God's handling of sex abuse allegations? Email reporter Mike Hixenbaugh. According to Pinkerton's arrest warrant, detectives started investigating him after the seven men came forward last fall. The men alleged that when they were in their teens, Pinkerton would give them massages and rub their penises; several said Pinkerton would greet them with what he referred to as a 'heavenly kiss' or 'brotherly kiss' on the lips, likening this to Jesus. The men said Pinkerton called them his 'favorites' and referred to himself as a 'spiritual father' to them. Assemblies of God officials distanced themselves from Pinkerton on Monday, telling NBC News that, although Pinkerton worked at an Assemblies of God church, he was never formally credentialed as a minister with the denomination. 'We are so saddened to hear of this report, and are deeply concerned whenever reports like this come out,' said Benjamin Rainey Jr., secretary-treasurer of the Assemblies of God regional office that oversees the three-state region that includes Maryland. Pinkerton's former church in Maryland did not return a phone call Monday. In a statement posted last week on its website, Central Christian said Pinkerton served on its staff more than 15 years ago and hasn't been affiliated with the church since he left to start his own ministry. It also said that since the alleged abuse was reported to law enforcement, additional individuals 'have come forward with similar accounts,' including some in other states. 'There is absolutely no place for abuse — ever — in the church,' Central Christian's lead pastor, Larry Kirk, said in the statement. In the years since the alleged abuse occurred, Pinkerton has preached in at least six different states, NBC News found, and according to his ministry website, he has evangelized in South America, Europe and Asia. Pinkerton's attorney said Monday that his client was not facing charges in any state other than Maryland. One church where he preached, the New Chapel in Grand Rapids, Michigan, which is not an Assemblies of God church, posted on its website over the weekend that it had cut ties with Pinkerton before he was arrested. 'We were heartbroken to hear of these serious allegations that occurred in Baltimore, Maryland nearly 20 years ago, and communicated the situation to our church family after severing all ties with the accused several months back. Our prayers and continued cooperation are toward justice for the victims,' New Chapel's statement said. Authorities in Maryland and Georgia said Baltimore County police obtained an arrest warrant in late June for Pinkerton. The Forsyth County Sheriff's Office in Georgia said it then arrested him at a traffic stop in July before he was extradited to Maryland last week. Pinkerton has a preliminary court hearing scheduled for Sept. 5. This article was originally published on
The Guardian
12-08-2025
- The Guardian
Baltimore police arrest pastor accused of abusing six teens
A former Maryland youth pastor has been arrested on suspicion of molesting at least six teenagers, the Baltimore county police department (BCPD) has said, alleging offenses between 2006 and 2010. Thomas Pinkerton, 52, known as Pastor Tommy, allegedly told children in his youth group that it was normal for a pastor to kiss boys on the lips because that's how Jesus greeted his disciples, according to an arrest warrant recently made public. The arrest warrant alleges the abuse included inappropriate touching and kissing of six teenagers in Maryland who ranged in age from 13 to 19 – and that it took place both at the Central Christian Church, an Assemblies of God church in Baltimore county, as well as at Pinkerton's home. A seventh person – described as a man – reported abuse by Pinkerton in Georgia, according to the warrant. Pinkerton, who has since worked as a traveling evangelist in at least six states and in South America, Europe and Asia, was extradited from Georgia to Maryland on 6 August to face 24 felony and misdemeanor counts. He has pleaded not guilty, according to his attorney. Detectives started investigating Pinkerton after the accusers at the center of the accusations came forward in the fall of 2024. They alleged that Pinkerton would give them massages and rub their penises. According to the arrest warrant, several said Pinkerton would greet them with a 'heavenly kiss' or 'brotherly kiss' on the lips and described himself as their 'spiritual father'. Detectives are are now asking for anyone with additional information to come forward, believing there may be more victims than are known at the moment. Assemblies of God, the world's largest Pentecostal denomination, with nearly 3 million members across 13,000 churches in the US, has been hit with a number of sex abuse allegations. Central Christian said Pinkerton served on its staff more than 15 years ago, and individuals with similar accounts have come forward since the alleged abuse was reported to law enforcement. 'There is absolutely no place for abuse – ever – in the church,' Central Christian's lead pastor, Larry Kirk, said in a statement posted on its website. Assemblies of God officials said Pinkerton was never formally credentialed as a minister with the denomination. 'We are so saddened to hear of this report and are deeply concerned whenever reports like this come out,' said Benjamin Rainey Jr, secretary-treasurer of the Assemblies of God regional office that oversees Maryland. The New Chapel in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where Pinkerton once preached, said on its website that it had cut ties with Pinkerton before his arrest. 'We were heartbroken to hear of these serious allegations that occurred in Baltimore, Maryland, nearly 20 years ago, and communicated the situation to our church family after severing all ties with the accused several months back,' New Chapel's statement said. 'Our prayers and continued cooperation are toward justice for the victims.' NBC News recently reported that the ministry directed hundreds of students to Daniel Savala, a convicted sex offender seen by some as 'the holiest man alive'. Leaders of the church have pledged to make changes to prevent similar abuses in the future. Pinkerton's attorney, Justin Hollimon, told NBC that his client was 'completely shocked' by the charges. 'He is a pastor,' Hollimon said of Pinkerton. 'He gave his life to the community, worked for the community. He's anxiously waiting his day in court.'
Sky News
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News
Jimmy Swaggart: Pioneer televangelist dies aged 90
Jimmy Swaggart - a pioneer of televangelism in the US - has died aged 90. Last month, the American Pentecostal preacher suffered a cardiac arrest at his home in Louisiana and was taken to a local hospital. His death was announced on Tuesday on his public Facebook page, though no cause of death was given. At one point, Mr Swaggart was the most famous TV evangelist in the US - preaching the word of God to millions of followers at home and abroad. But his vast audience dwindled when he was caught on camera with a prostitute in 1988. Mr Swaggart was serving as a co-pastor of the Family Worship Centre in Baton Rouge when he died. He was born in 1935 - and "after a dramatic salvation experience at the age of eight, felt the call of God on his life." According to his website: "He spent hours reading the Bible, praying, and, after a certain revival meeting, decided to ask God for the talent to play the piano." Mr Swaggart's first album, Some Golden Daybreak, was released in 1958. Since then, 17 million recordings have been sold. The Grammy-nominated pastor took up evangelistic work full-time in 1954 and was ordained by the Assemblies of God in 1961. He preached the gospel on TV for longer than any other American evangelist, according to his ministry's website. The Campmeeting Hour, Mr Swaggart's first radio programme, aired in 1969 - and within five years, the show was broadcasting on 700 radio stations in the US. His career in TV started in 1973 with the 30-minute weekly programme, The Jimmy Swaggart Evangelistic Association Presents Jimmy Swaggart, also known as the Jimmy Swaggart telecast. In 2010, Mr Swaggart launched the SonLife Broadcasting Network (SBN), a 24-hour Christian channel. Prostitute scandals He was defrocked by the Assemblies of God in 1988 after pictures surfaced of him with a prostitute. The pictures were handed in by rival TV evangelist Marvin Gorman, who was also defrocked after Mr Swaggart accused him of "immoral dalliances" in 1986. Following the scandal, Mr Swaggart delivered his famous "I have sinned" speech in front of a congregation of 7,000 in Baton Rouge, where he sobbed and asked for his wife's forgiveness, while falling short of detailing what his sin was. Mr Swaggart carried on as an independent Pentecostal preacher - but in 1991, he was found by police in California in the company of another prostitute after being stopped for a traffic violation.
The Guardian
01-07-2025
- The Guardian
Jimmy Swaggart, US televangelist brought down by scandal, dies aged 90
Televangelist Jimmy Swaggart, who became a household name amassing an enormous following and multimillion-dollar ministry only to be undone by revelations of paying sex workers, has died. He was 90. Swaggart died decades after his once vast audience dwindled and his name became a punchline on late-night television. His death was announced on Tuesday on his public Facebook page. A cause was not immediately given, although he had been in poor health. The Louisiana native was best known for being a captivating Pentecostal preacher with a massive following before being caught on camera with a sex worker in New Orleans in 1988, one of a string of successful TV preachers brought down in the 1980s and 90s by sex scandals. He continued preaching for decades, but with a reduced audience. Swaggart encapsulated his downfall in a tearful 1988 sermon, in which he wept and apologized but made no reference to his connection to a sex worker. 'I have sinned against you,' Swaggart told parishioners nationwide. 'I beg you to forgive me.' He announced his resignation from the Assemblies of God later that year, shortly after the church said it was defrocking him for rejecting punishment it had ordered for 'moral failure'. The church had wanted him to undergo a two-year rehabilitation program, including not preaching for a full year. Swaggart said at the time that he knew dismissal was inevitable but insisted he had no choice but to separate from the church to save his ministry and Bible college. Swaggart's messages stirred thousands of congregants and millions of TV viewers, making him a household name by the late 1980s. Contributors built Jimmy Swaggart Ministries into a business that made an estimated $142m in 1986. His Baton Rouge, Louisiana, complex still includes a worship center and broadcasting and recording facilities. Swaggart said publicly that his earnings were hurt in 1987 by the sex scandal surrounding rival televangelist Jim Bakker and a former church secretary at Bakker's PTL ministry organization.
