Latest news with #MyFaithVotes
Mint
3 days ago
- Politics
- Mint
Ex-CEO Jason Christopher Yates pleads guilty to possessing child pornography
In a development sending shockwaves through America's faith-based circles, Jason Christopher Yates, the former CEO of a prominent Christian non-profit, has pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography. Yates, 56, admitted guilt to two felony counts of possessing horrific child abuse imagery in a Minnesota district court on July 22, months after his initial arrest, the USA Today reported. Yates previously headed "My Faith Votes," an influential organisation dedicated to mobilising Christian voters in US elections. His admission of guilt has cast a dark shadow over the group's mission and sparked widespread condemnation. The sinister nature of Yates's activities began to unravel on July 31, 2024, when the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension received a hard drive laden with child abuse images. The individual who handed over the evidence claimed to have received it from a relative of Yates. This relative, by sheer chance, reportedly discovered the hard drive tucked away in a dresser in Yates's office. According to reports, the relative stumbled upon the drive while seeking extra storage for their own computer. What they uncovered instead was a horrifying collection of child pornography. Yates's arrest in October 2024, as per a USA Today report, prompted swift action from "My Faith Votes." The organisation confirmed that Yates had been separated from his role as CEO in early August 2024, even before his arrest became public. Chris Sadler, a board member, immediately stepped in as Acting CEO. "In early August 2024, the My Faith Votes board of directors separated Jason Yates from My Faith Votes and board member Chris Sadler assumed the position of Acting CEO," My Faith Votes stated in a press release to Religion News Service. "Over the last three months, Chris has been working with the dedicated My Faith Votes team to encourage millions of Christians to vote, pray and think biblically about this election in America.' When confronted by agents in September, Yates chillingly confirmed that the images on the hard drive were indeed his and not his relatives. He also made a disturbing disclosure: he had a prior conviction for possessing child sex abuse images, though it had reportedly been expunged from his record. This revelation raises serious questions about the vetting processes within such organisations and the persistent threat posed by such offenders.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Former CEO pleads guilty to child porn charges after relative finds hard drive
The former CEO of a Christian nonprofit has pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography images. The admission comes months after Jason Christopher Yates was arrested. According to a report in USA Today, Yates, 56, pleaded guilty to two of eight felony counts of possession of child pornography on July 22. His case was heard in a district court in McLeod County, Minnesota. Jason Christopher Yates was arrested for possessing child abuse images in October 2024 (iStockphoto) Yates is the former CEO of My Faith Votes – a group that encourages Christians in America to vote in every election. When was Yates arrested? According to the USA Today report, Jason Christopher Yates was first arrested in October 2024. My Faith Votes confirmed that he had served as the nonprofit's CEO till August 2024. 'In early August 2024, the My Faith Votes board of directors separated Jason Yates from My Faith Votes and board member Chris Sadler assumed the position of Acting CEO," My Faith Votes said in a statement to Religion News Service. "Over the last three months Chris has been working with the dedicated My Faith Votes team to encourage millions of Christians to vote, pray and think biblically about this election in America.' How was his crime discovered? On July 31, 2024, an individual gave the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension a hard drive containing images of child abuse. The person claimed they had received the hard drive from a relative of Yates's who 'accidentally discovered it' inside a dresser in his office. Yates's relative apparently chanced across the hard drive and when they tried connecting it to their computer for more storage, they discovered it contained child pornography. When agents met Yates in September, he confirmed that the child abuse images on the hard drive did not belong to the relative who found them. Yates also told Minnesota agents that he had a prior conviction for possessing child sex abuse images, but it had been expunged from his record.
USA Today
3 days ago
- Politics
- USA Today
Former CEO of Christian nonprofit pleads guilty to possessing child pornography
The former CEO of My Faith Votes, a nonprofit that encourages "Christians in America to vote in every election," has pleaded guilty to possessing child sexual abuse images, months after his arrest. Jason Christopher Yates, 56, pleaded guilty to two of eight felony counts of possession of child pornography on Tuesday, July 22, in a district court in McLeod County, Minnesota, according to a plea petition obtained by USA TODAY. Yates was initially charged and arrested in October 2024, according to Minnesota state court records. My Faith Votes told Religion News Service that Yates served as its CEO until August 2024. 'In early August 2024, the My Faith Votes board of directors separated Jason Yates from My Faith Votes and board member Chris Sadler assumed the position of Acting CEO," the statement reads. "Over the last three months Chris has been working with the dedicated My Faith Votes team to encourage millions of Christians to vote, pray and think biblically about this election in America.' Yates became the CEO of My Faith Votes in 2015 during the nonprofit's inception, according to his Truth & Liberty Coalition bio. USA TODAY contacted My Faith Votes on Saturday, July 26, but has not received a response. The Tamburino Law Group, whose attorneys served as Yates' legal counsel in the case, told USA TODAY in an email, "We are not commenting on this matter." What did Jason Yates do? According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by USA TODAY, an individual gave the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension a hard drive that contained child sexual abuse images on July 31, 2024. The person told agents that they received the hard drive from a relative of Yates who "accidentally discovered it" inside a dresser in the former CEO's office in McLeod County, Minnesota, according to the affidavit. Yates' relative stumbled upon the child sex abuse images when they tried putting the hard drive in their computer for more storage, the affidavit reads. The hard drive contained more than 100 sexually explicit images of children, according to the document. When agents met with Yates on Sept. 13, 2024, he confirmed that the child sex abuse images on the hard drive did not belong to the relative who found them, the affidavit states. He also told the agents that he had a prior conviction for possessing child sex abuse images, but it had been expunged, the document continued. What is My Faith Votes? My Faith Votes describes itself as a "non-partisan movement" that motivates Christians in the U.S. to vote in elections, according to the Fort Worth, Texas-based nonprofit's website. "We desire to see an America where God is honored in the public square and biblical truth is advanced in our culture," My Faith Votes' website states. The nonprofit was founded in 2015 by Sealy Yates, an attorney who previously served on President Donald Trump's evangelical advisory board, according to Politico. He is also Jason Yates' uncle, according to Christian news site The Roys Report. Both are also literary agents representing Christian authors. While My Faith Votes claims to be "non-partisan," the nonprofit has backed several Republican officials and conservative views, including anti-abortion. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee was My Faith Votes' honorary national chairman before becoming the U.S. Ambassador to Israel under Trump's administration, according to the nonprofit. Dr. Ben Carson was the founding honorary national chairman for the nonprofit before he became the U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development during Trump's first presidency. Jason Yates is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 29, according to Minnesota court records.
