Former Christian Musician Charged with Distributing Child Pornography

A former Christian music singer and speaker, known for sharing stories of overcoming personal challenges, has been arrested for distributing child pornography.

John Paul Sheptock, 49, was serving as a worship pastor at First Montgomery Baptist Church in Montgomery, Texas, when authorities received a tip in August about his alleged possession and production of child sexual assault materials. It’s reported that these materials included videos and images depicting children in sexual acts.

At the time of his arrest, Sheptock was incarcerated in a state prison for women in central Texas. His arrest stirred concern among church members, particularly after Senior Pastor Chris Gover informed them that Sheptock had been relieved of all church responsibilities.

“He had no role in supervising children in church or school, only occasionally interacting in large adult group settings,” Gover explained. “While there’s no current evidence to suggest that children in our care were involved, we are taking every precaution to protect their safety and uphold our mission’s integrity.”

Gover further stated, “What Mr. Sheptock is being accused of is a grave sin and deeply upsetting for our church community and the families of any innocent children potentially impacted. It’s crucial to remember that nothing remains hidden.” They assured full cooperation with law enforcement in the ongoing investigation.

In a disturbing allegation, a 17-year-old woman, who was a high school senior nine years ago, claimed that Sheptock hacked into her iCloud account and stole nude photographs of her. Reports indicate he sent those images back to her, requesting even more explicit content, which is deeply unsettling.

Additionally, there are suspicions regarding the presence of numerous nude photographs involving both adults and minors on his computer, as noted by law enforcement officials.

In his previous career, Sheptock often spoke about his life experiences, including being born without arms and having a noticeably short right leg. Much of his youth was spent in foster care until his adoption. His online biography presented him as a well-known Christian artist who focused on overcoming adversity through faith.