Tip leads to arrest of pastor charged with 100 counts of child porn
An Arkansas pastor has been arrested on 100 counts related to child pornography after a tip led authorities to investigate.
James Vincent Henry, 43, of Delight, Arkansas, has been taken into custody by Pike County Sheriff’s deputies after special agents with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received two cyber tips from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children last month, KARK reported.
Henry is the pastor of Crossroads Assembly of God Church in Delight and has served as a foster parent to 70 children over the years, according to Church Leaders.
The investigation began on Sept. 25, when Special Agents with the Arkansas State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force executed a search warrant, stated the Arkansas Department of Public Safety.
During the investigation, agents reviewed digital evidence collected from the search warrant and information drawn from social media messaging apps.
At about 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Henry was arrested and charged with 100 counts of Possession, Viewing, and Distribution of Child Pornography (CSAM). He was transported to the Pike County Detention Center, where he remains in custody.
Church Leaders provided additional background on Henry, noting that he has been married to his wife, Brittney, for 12 years, and the couple has three children. His wife is also listed as a pastor at Crossroads Assembly of God Church.
According to the church’s website, Henry and his wife were foster parents and then served for two more years with the program’s “transitional living program” for 18- to 25-year-old young women.
“They were also blessed to be foster parents at New Beginnings Children’s Home outside of Centerton, Ark. They served at New Beginnings for six years,” says the website. “There they were blessed to be foster parents to 76 children in four years and then they moved the transitional living program for young ladies 18-25 that needed some help getting life skills they need to be successful in life. They served in that role for two years.”
Previously, Henry served as a youth pastor at four other churches: Lacey Assembly of God, McGehee First Assembly of God, Mountain Pine First Assembly of God, and Newsong Church in Centerton.