Latest news with #CatawbaValleyBaptistChurch
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Daily Mail
Virginia youth pastor sent disgusting texts to young girls while posing as a teen
A Virginia youth pastor posed as a teenager to groom underage girls on social media apps - exchanging appalling messages while luring them into sex chats. The 34-year-old, known to his church as 'Pastor Jake' is now behind bars, accused of posing as a boy to coax sexually explicit photos and videos from the girls. At one point the perv pastor told an underage girl that it was 'time for her to see her first d***.' Jacob Ryan Barnett, Associate Pastor at Catawba Valley Baptist Church, was arrested on Wednesday in North Carolina following a months-long FBI investigation that uncovered a disturbing digital trail of exploitation and manipulation. According to a federal affidavit, Barnett used TikTok, Snapchat, and Discord to pose as a 17-year-old named 'Jodie Johnson,' messaging teen girls across the country and pressuring them into sending him explicit material. The videos included footage they had recorded of themselves at the ages of 14 and 15. One of the victims, identified in court documents as 'M.V.,' told investigators she believed she really was communicating with a teenage boy from Virginia. But in reality, the number belonged to Barnett - a father, a pastor, and a man who just 11 days ago delivered a sermon titled 'The Story of Salvation.' 'While the charges against Mr. Barnett are just allegations at this point, the facts presented do serve as a reminder for all parents to be aware of what their children are doing online,' said U.S. Attorney C. Todd Gilbert. 'Our kids occupy a world where those seeking to harm them have countless avenues, like TikTok, Discord, Snapchat and others, to reach across vast distances directly into their bedrooms.' The details in the affidavit are stomach-churning. According to federal investigators, Barnett - as 'Jodie Johnson' - messaged M.V. in May via TikTok and quickly moved the conversation to text. He repeatedly asked for pictures of her genitals and at one point told her it was 'time for her to see her first d**k.' 'I don't know if im readyyyy im only 15 and I barely know anything abt that whole topiccc,' the girl replied, according to the FBI affidavit. Despite her hesitation, Barnett is accused of continuing to pressure her for material and eventually received a sexually explicit video that the girl admitted was filmed when she was just 14. Investigators say Barnett was simultaneously on the phone with his wife during some of these exchanges. On May 19, phone records showed that Barnett messaged the girl at 4:30pm, answered a call from his wife at 4:32pm, received a batch of photos from the teen at 4:33pm, and replied to her again at 4:34pm. 'In other words, within less than five minutes, Barnett messaged M.V., talked to his wife for a minute, and messaged M.V. again,' the affidavit notes. Barnett also reportedly sent M.V. a photo of himself in boxers with the outline of his genitalia visible and asked when she last shaved her vagina. She responded with another video, filmed at age 14, depicting herself masturbating. On May 20, the FBI National Threat Operations Center received an online tip from a concerned mother in Michigan who had discovered the texts on her daughter's phone. After subpoenas to Verizon and Google, investigators linked the number behind the 'Jodie Johnson' alias to Jacob Barnett using his official Bethel Baptist Church email and tied to other accounts. Barnett previously served five years at Bethel Baptist Church in Yorktown, Virginia, where he was head of the children's ministry. He later moved to Catawba Valley Baptist Church, where he routinely interacted with youth and students. A second victim has now also come forward. According to the affidavit, Barnett communicated with another 15-year-old girl on Snapchat using the usernames 'duh_jodie' and 'jodie_j1234.' Like the first alleged victim he again told her it was 'time to see her first d**k' and encouraged her to send sexually explicit images. He reportedly described in graphic terms how he would have sex with her and instructed her on how to masturbate. Though many of the files the girl sent were encrypted or deleted, the FBI concluded based on context that they were explicit in nature. Barnett's TikTok account reportedly followed 'thousands of minor girls,' investigators said. The case has stunned the conservative church community in southwest Virginia, where Barnett served as the Associate Pastor of Students & Mobilization. The church's granite monument bearing the Ten Commandments still stands outside its Troutville building, but Pastor Jake's name has vanished from its website. Barnett is currently pursuing a master's degree at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and previously graduated from The College at Southeastern in 2018. His wife, Cayla Barnett, is a graduate of Liberty University, which has faced its own scandals related to sex abuse in recent years. The couple's church bio says they enjoy 'visiting historical places such as the Battlefields of Yorktown and Colonial Williamsburg,' and that Barnett 'loves teaching the next generation about the truths of the Bible.' 'Together, [Jake and his wife] enjoy visiting historical places such as the Battlefields of Yorktown and Colonial Williamsburg… and spending time with family.' Less than two weeks ago on Sunday July 27, Barnett delivered a sermon in which he reportedly referenced the importance of 'settling with your accuser.' He was arrested three days later. Before his arrest, Barnett briefly answered a phone call from The Independent and claimed to be 'totally confused' about the allegations and refusing to elaborate. Barnett faces federal charges of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, which carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison. He is scheduled to appear in US District Court in Roanoke early next week. 'The heinous crimes Barnett is charged with are what keep parents up at night,' said Ann Busby, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Richmond Division. 'Educating our kids and communities about the threats posed by faceless, online personas is crucial to maintaining their safety. Working with our partners, FBI Richmond will bring the full weight of the justice system on anyone who attempts to harm our children.
The Independent
4 days ago
- The Independent
Exclusive details: Feds accuse Virginia youth pastor of trading explicit pics with teen between calls with his wife
A 34-year-old youth pastor in Virginia is facing federal charges over allegations he posed as a teenage boy to exchange nude photos and videos with young girls, telling one of them last month that it was 'time for her to see her first d**k,' according to an FBI probable cause affidavit obtained first by The Independent. 'I don't know if im readyyyy im only 15 and I barely know anything abt that whole topiccc,' the girl responded. Throughout the conversation, Jacob Ryan Barnett – who is known as Pastor Jake to parishioners – 'repeatedly asked' the youngster for pictures of her crotch, the affidavit states. On at least two occasions, it says Barnett messaged with the teen while speaking to his wife on the phone, at one point receiving a clip of the girl's exposed genitalia she had filmed at the age of 14. Barnett, the father of a two-year-old boy, was arrested in North Carolina on Wednesday, several hours after The Independent requested comment from the Richmond, Virginia, U.S. Attorney's Office. Charging documents had been accidentally left unsealed before FBI agents took Barnett into custody. Reached by phone before he was apprehended, Barnett claimed to be 'totally confused' about the situation and declined to elaborate. Barnett is the Associate Pastor of Students & Mobilization at the Catawba Valley Baptist Church. He previously served for five years as the head of the children's ministry at the Bethel Baptist Church in Yorktown, Virginia. 'Jake felt the call to ministry when he was in middle school,' Barnett's church bio reads. 'He has volunteered in children's and youth ministry at each church he has attended. Jake loves teaching the next generation about the truths of the Bible and serving God's people.' He graduated from the College at Southeastern in 2018 and is currently working on his M.A. at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, according to the bio. His wife Cayla graduated from Jerry Falwell's Liberty University – which has endured sex scandals of its own – in 2020. 'Together, they enjoy visiting historical places such as the Battlefields of Yorktown and Colonial Williamsburg,' the bio says. 'Jake and Cayla love playing board games, card games, and spending time with family.' Eleven days ago, Barnett delivered a sermon, 'The Story of Salvation,' in which he touched on the apparent importance of 'settling with your accuser.' The emails and phone numbers Barnett used to communicate with his alleged victims matched certain ones he used to communicate with churchgoers; a source close to the investigation confirmed the details of Barnett's professional background. A call to Catawba Valley Baptist Church on Thursday went straight to voicemail. Barnett does not yet have an attorney listed in court records. On May 20, the FBI National Threat Operations Center received an online tip from a mother in Michigan that a then-unknown subject had been attempting to groom her 15-year-old daughter, according to the probable cause affidavit filed in the case. Two days earlier, the teen had received a message on TikTok that 'appeared to belong to a 17-year-old boy from Virginia who called himself 'Jodie Johnson,'' the affidavit states. It says investigating agents interviewed the teen's mother, who said she had gone through her daughter's phone and found a text chain between her and 'Johnson,' in which the girl had sent him an assortment of nude pictures. In early June, the FBI subpoenaed Verizon for an ID of the account holder behind Johnson's number, which showed it belonged to Barnett. Google records the bureau obtained showed the number linked to his various emails, one of which was his official Bethel Baptist Church account, the affidavit shows. Barnett's TikTok account appeared to be following 'thousands of minor girls,' according to the affidavit. The 15-year-old girl, who is identified in court filings as 'M.V.,' for 'Minor Victim,' told investigators that she knew people from Virginia and thought 'Johnson' looked like one of her friends. The messages showed Barnett, as Johnson, pestering M.V. for nude photos and videos, and specifically requested 'something that he could masturbate to,' which she duly provided, the affidavit continues. In an interview with an FBI adolescent specialist, M.V. said she at first 'didn't want to' send Barnett the explicit materials, but eventually gave in. However, she specified that everything she shared was already on her camera roll from when she was 14 or 15 years-old, according to the affidavit. From there, things became 'very graphic,' with Barnett describing to M.V. how he would have sex with her, the affidavit goes on. Barnett then sent M.V. a picture of himself in boxers, with the outline of his genitalia visible through the underwear, the affidavit says. '[Barnett] asked M.V. when she last shaved her vagina,' the affidavit contends. 'She lied and said the day before… M.V. sent an older video of herself masturbating when she was 14, which depicted her exposed vagina.' While M.V. was asleep, her mom took her daughter's phone to message someone and spotted the photos and video she had sent to Barnett, according to the affidavit. It says that when she googled the recipient's number, she saw that it belonged to 'a grown man named Jacob Barnett.' Phone records showed Barnett had chatted with M.V. while talking to his wife on at least two occasions. On May 19, at 4:30 p.m., Barnett messaged M.V.'s phone, answered a call from his wife at 4:32 p.m., and M.V. messaged Barnett a batch of photos at 4:33 p.m. He then wrote back to M.V. at 4:34 p.m., according to the affidavit. 'In other words, within less than five minutes, Barnett messaged M.V., talked to his wife for a minute, and messaged M.V. again,' the affidavit states. On May 20, at 10:34 a.m., Barnett messaged M.V., answered a call from his wife at 10:35 a.m., and messaged Barnett while that call was still in progress, the affidavit maintains. Prior to taking his wife's call, Barnett had responded to M.V.'s previous four messages 'within approximately 30 seconds,' according to the affidavit. In late July, records from Snap, Inc. revealed Barnett had also been communicating with a second 15-year-old girl whose username The Independent is withholding for her privacy. Under the usernames 'duh_jodie' and 'jodie_j1234,' Barnett allegedly told the girl it 'was time to see her first d**k,' which she resisted, but sent pictures of his private parts anyway, the affidavit states. While haranguing the girl for nude shots of herself, Barnett 'described how he would have sex with [her] and encouraged her to masturbate,' according to the affidavit. 'She said she had never masturbated, prompting Barnett to explain how to do it,' the affidavit says. She ended up sending Barnett a slew of photos, but agents were unable to view them because they were either encrypted or deleted, the affidavit explains. However, the context of the conversation made it clear they were sexually explicit in nature. Barnett is now charged with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life. He is set to make his initial court appearance in Roanoke early next week.
