Why was Arkansas pastor James Vincent Henry arrested? Charges explored

Man arrested (Image via Pexels/Kindel Media)
Man arrested (Image via Pexels/Kindel Media)

An Arkansas pastor named James Vincent Henry was recently arrested for possessing and distributing child s*xual abuse materials. The 43-year-old is allegedly the pastor of the Crossroads Assembly of God Church in Delight, Arkansas.

He has previously worked as a youth pastor in various churches, including Newson Church in Centerton. He was also a part of the church's media team. Following his arrest, he is charged with 100 counts

Per a statement by Arkansas State Police (ASP), the Arkansas pastor James Vincent Henry was arrested by an ASP ICAC Task Force. The task force executed a search warrant on September 25 after receiving two cyber tips.

The statement read,

"An Arkansas State Police (ASP) Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigation led to the arrest of a Delight pastor for 100 counts of crimes related to the possession and distribution of child s*xual abuse material (CSAM)."

It continued,

"On Wednesday, September 25, 2024, Special Agents with the ASP ICAC Task Force executed a search warrant in Delight in reference to two cyber tips from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children made through the online messaging applications Snapchat and Kik."

When was the Arkansas pastor arrested?

Throughout the investigation, agents reviewed the evidence and finally received an arrest warrant on October 14, 2024. A day later, the pastor was successfully arrested by the Pike County Sheriff's deputies.

"During the investigation, agents reviewed digital evidence collected from the search warrant and information drawn from social media messaging apps."
"An arrest warrant was obtained for James Vincent Henry, 43, of Delight, on Monday, October 14, 2024."
"At approximately 8 p.m. on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, Pike County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Henry, charging him with 100 counts of Possession, Viewing, and Distribution of Child Pornography (CSAM)."

The police department also shared a picture of Henry on their Instagram handle. They provided netizens with the required details and also revealed Henry's identity and where he worked.

The news of an Arkansas pastor's arrest for possession and distribution of child s*xual abuse has left netizens in shock. While some are in disbelief, others are disgusted by the news. Many social media users have also demanded a severe punishment for Henry. One penned,

"These perverts intentionally seek out jobs that put them in close contact with children. The vetting process needs to be a lot more rigorous."

Henry has been transported to the Pike County Detention Center. He is currently in the police custody there.

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Edited by Apoorva Jujjavarapu