Toledo, Ohio Pastors Cordell Jenkins and Anthony Haynes were arrested last week for involvement in alleged sex trafficking of children. The two will face a federal judge who will determine whether they will be held in jail or released on bond.
Documents released by the FBI detail an investigation that has been on-going for an unspecified time involving numerous explicit sexual encounters the men allegedly had with under-aged children.
Pastor Haynes allegedly introduced the child identified only as Juvenile 1 to several adult males who paid to engage in sexual activity with her. Other encounters happened in which other adult males and at least one woman were introduced to the child for sexual purposes. Other arrests are possible, but the FBI will neither confirm or deny.
“It depends upon how the investigation unfolds,” one agent told the news. “This is an ongoing investigation and if it leads us to additional people that need to be charged then obviously we will work with the US Attorney’s Office in getting those charges filed.”
Jenkins and Haynes allegedly had sex with their victims– a 14 year old girl and another teen– at local motels. Pastor Jenkins is accused of having sex in his office at the church. Documents filed by the FBI show that agents also obtained footage from surveillance video at the Red Roof Inn showing Jenkins entering a motel room and leaving about an hour later. The child is believed to have been in the room at the time.
The Red Roof Inn declined to comment, saying it does not comment on pending criminal investigations and that it is “fully cooperating with local authorities.”
FBI agents served search warrants allowing them to collect evidence from the ministers’ homes. They also searched Pastor Jenkins’ church, Abundant Life Ministries, because it is alleged to have been the site of some of the criminal activity charged.
Based on what agents find, additional charges could follow, additional people could be charged or existing charges could be downgraded. As of right now, the evidence collected from the search warrants remains under court seal. Formal indictments are expected within the next 30 days.
