A Baptist pastor in Florida has been arrested on child pornography charges after allegedly using cryptocurrency to purchase child sexual abuse material online.
Jonathan Edward Elwing, senior pastor at Palm View Baptist Church, was taken into custody by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office on Friday. A search warrant was executed ABC7 reported on the events at the church and the home.
Detectives from the department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit began investigating Thursday after receiving a tip that a Palmetto man was suspected of purchasing illegal material online.
Investigators searched Elwing’s property and allegedly found “four sexually explicit images of children on his cell phone,” and he was charged with four counts of possession of child pornography.
The pastor has since resigned and remains incarcerated in the Manatee County Jail.
Local media reported that the investigation was still ongoing.
When a commenter asked about the news on Palm View Baptist Church’s Facebook page, the church responded, Responded “Unfortunately, this is true. We will issue a statement at the appropriate time,” he wrote.
