SC Baptist Pastor Arrested For Sending Explicit Text Messages to Teen, Says he's targeted like Jesus

[Ian David]

Black Collar Crime
POSTED: 9:28 am EDT July 26, 2007

WARE SHOALS, S.C. -- Police say a pastor has been arrested after he sent 20 sexually explicit text messages to a 17-year-old girl's phone in the past month.

Ware Shoals Police Chief Mickey Boland says 43-year-old Claude Wallace was charged with two misdemeanors -- contributing to the delinquency of a minor and unlawful use of a telephone.

Boland says the father of the girl called police after finding the messages.

Wallace is a pastor at Mount Sinai Missionary Baptist Church in Gaffney. Police say the teen had visited the church and Wallace has been a guest pastor at her church. Authorities say under state law, it's illegal to send a sexually explicit message over the telephone to anyone under age 18.

http://www.wsoctv.com/news/13759508/detail.html

See also:

Police: Pastor Sent Teen Sex Text Messages
Father Finds Messages On Daughter's Phone, Police Say




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VIDEO: Accused Pastor Talks With WYFF News 4 http://www.wyff4.com/video/13757760/index.html

<snip>

"It's regrettable that the incident occurred. I feel that it was blowed out of proportion by the media," Wallace said, "and certainly when you are in a high profile position, you know something like this is stretched to a different magnitude."

Wallace also said he believes he may have been targeted.

"I know somebody's behind this, but Jesus had haters, but you know with prayer we are going to get through this and good always overcomes evil," Wallace said.

<snip>

Wallace said his congregation is behind him.

"I've received nothing but hugs, love, and support from the church family and because they know my character," Wallace said.

More:
http://www.wyff4.com/news/13754558/detail.html


See also:

Upstate pastor arrested

Police: Explicit text messages sent to teen
July 26, 2007
By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal staff writer

<snip>

According to Boland, the 17-year-old victim and Wallace apparently have been trading text messages for some time, perhaps even a year. He said the two were together at a church function as recently as 10 days ago.

<snip>

The chief said that, during Wallace’s interrogation, the preacher initially denied writing the text messages. However, after some time he reportedly admitted to writing them but insisted the victim initiated the conversations.

Boland openly wondered what this arrest could lead to.

“I’ll be interested to see if others come forward in Gaffney and accuse him of the same type of thing,” Boland said.
Wallace was taken to Greenwood County Detention Center and released on $10,000 bond.

More:
http://www.indexjournal.com/news/20070726a_n.html




For the record, aside from the hypocrisy of the morality-preaching anti-gay Baptist Church, I'm not sure if this should be a big deal. At least, as far as the law is concerned. If the young woman is above the age of legal consent in her state, and the messages aren't unwelcome, why should it be illegal to use a phone to TALK ABOUT something when it's not illegal to actually DO it?

In other words, he could legally take her to bed... so long as he doesn't use a telephone or computer to issue the invitation?

[zehnkatzen]

1. Well, it beats working, I suppose.

Every time I turn to the media, it seems, there's just one more preacher who reinforced my growing impression that "pastor" is just another word for "someone who can't find an honorable job".

That may offend people, and I'm sorry if it does, but it makes me angry that someone would do this and then hide behind the name of the Savior and the skirts of their congregation.

And just WTF is it with these flocks anyway? You can forgive a man all you want, AFAIC, but in these churches, "forgiving" also comes with gentle consequences (if any at all) for the transgressor. This leads to an even greater injustice upon the injured, and the perception that the minister concerned "got away with it".

Sure, forgive him all you want. But by proving himself unable to practice what he preaches, he should be removed from any position of trust and any position of authority within the congregation. But you know he's going to go right back, backed by a group of people who should know better.

I'm not trying to tar all ministers/pastors with one brush, but the continuing way I see the name of the Almighty and the Savior invoked to excuse someone's immoral activities is starting to make my blood boil.

[zehnkatzen]

2. It's kind of like getting Capone on tax evasion, I think.

In other words, he could legally take her to bed... so long as he doesn't use a telephone or computer to issue the invitation?

If all they did was talk together when nobody was looking, they could deny anything that was said–or just not reveal it.

Texting, however, is a channel that can be tracked. And sending such messages over a cell phone is a powerful implicator.

So, essentially, it's something they can catch them at...like Capone and his tax evasion.

[Ian David]

3. Apparently, he could have written her the same thing on a piece of paper and been legal.

My only problem here is when the law says you can do the deed, and you can talk about the deed, unless such communication takes place electronically.

Imagine an 18-year-old paraplegic who can only communicate electronically trying to get it on with his 17-year-old girlfriend.

[msongs]

4. the mythical jesus character was targeted for text message child molesting? nt

[Ian David]

5. And then Judas brought Jesus' cell phone to the Romans. n/t