PLANO, Texas — A minister from Prestonwood Baptist Church, Plano, Texas, has been arrested in a sting operation for soliciting sex with a minor.
Joe Barron, 52, a minister to married adults at the Dallas-area church, was arrested May 15 in Bryan, Texas. Barron had made a three-hour drive to Bryan to have sex with a girl he thought was 13 but, instead, was a police officer he had been chatting with online in a sting operation against online sexual predators.
Prestonwood’s pastor, Jack Graham, said in comments to the congregation May 18, "Our church has experienced a heartbreaking and tragic week. We are appalled by the disgraceful actions and subsequent arrest of one of our ministers. I am so sorry for the injury this grievous situation has caused."
The church cooperated by allowing officers access to Barron’s office computer.
The Dallas Morning News
Barron had counseled married couples at Prestonwood and was to lead a missions trip to Colombia, South America, in August. On May 16, however, Barron’s information had been removed from Prestonwood’s Web site. Barron had been on Prestonwood’s staff for 18 months.
reported that Barron was released May 16 on $7,000 bail from the Brazos County Detention Center. If convicted for the second-degree felony, he could face up to 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Share with others: