Adidas410s
05-16-2008, 01:57 PM
BRYAN (CBS 11 News) ¯
A minister at one of the largest churches in North Texas has been arrested in a sex sting operation in Bryan.
Police confirm that Joe Barron was taken into custody after driving more than three hours to have sex with what he thought was a 13-year-old girl.
Barron serves as a minister at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano. The 52-year-old has reportedly counseled married couples at the church that has more than 20,000 members.
Friday morning Prestonwood Baptist Church Executive Pastor Mike Buster issued a statement that said - "We are disturbed and saddened by the reports we have heard and we are praying for the Barron family. We are fully cooperating with the police in their investigation."
Barron had chatted online for about two weeks with "the teenager", who was in reality a Bryan police officer. Officials say during the online communication Barron told "the girl" he wanted to have sex with her and asked her to skip school and meet with him.
Undercover officers arranged the meeting for Thursday morning. As police set up surveillance and prepared to arrest Barron, the man chatted online with the Bryan police officer on his phone as he drove more than three hours to meet "the girl".
According to police Barron didn't park where he said he would and there was some confusion about the type of car he was driving, but just before 11 a.m. an officer approached the car with his pistol drawn. The minister reportedly raised his hands I the air and surrendered to police.
When Barron's car was searched police found 10 condoms folded inside a golf ball box and a computer camera that they believe he was going to give "the girl" as a gift.
Bryan police later traveled to Plano with a search warrant for Barron's home. There officers seized a desktop computer, two laptops, computer disks and memory cards.
Barron is charged with online solicitation of sex with a minor. The crime is a second-degree felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
A bail hearing for Barron is set for later today.
http://cbs11tv.com/local/Joe.Barron.Prestonwood.2.725773.html
A minister at one of the largest churches in North Texas has been arrested in a sex sting operation in Bryan.
Police confirm that Joe Barron was taken into custody after driving more than three hours to have sex with what he thought was a 13-year-old girl.
Barron serves as a minister at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano. The 52-year-old has reportedly counseled married couples at the church that has more than 20,000 members.
Friday morning Prestonwood Baptist Church Executive Pastor Mike Buster issued a statement that said - "We are disturbed and saddened by the reports we have heard and we are praying for the Barron family. We are fully cooperating with the police in their investigation."
Barron had chatted online for about two weeks with "the teenager", who was in reality a Bryan police officer. Officials say during the online communication Barron told "the girl" he wanted to have sex with her and asked her to skip school and meet with him.
Undercover officers arranged the meeting for Thursday morning. As police set up surveillance and prepared to arrest Barron, the man chatted online with the Bryan police officer on his phone as he drove more than three hours to meet "the girl".
According to police Barron didn't park where he said he would and there was some confusion about the type of car he was driving, but just before 11 a.m. an officer approached the car with his pistol drawn. The minister reportedly raised his hands I the air and surrendered to police.
When Barron's car was searched police found 10 condoms folded inside a golf ball box and a computer camera that they believe he was going to give "the girl" as a gift.
Bryan police later traveled to Plano with a search warrant for Barron's home. There officers seized a desktop computer, two laptops, computer disks and memory cards.
Barron is charged with online solicitation of sex with a minor. The crime is a second-degree felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
A bail hearing for Barron is set for later today.
http://cbs11tv.com/local/Joe.Barron.Prestonwood.2.725773.html