http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/local/news-article.aspx?storyid=40189Local Pastor Arrested On Child Porn Charges
Eric Young
Young, 58, is the lead pastor of Ft. Caroline United Methodist Church
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By Jackelyn Barnard
First Coast News
JACKSONVILLE, FL -- The lead pastor of a First Coast Church is under arrest, accused of downloading child pornography on the church's computer.
Friday afternoon, JSO vice made a surprise visit to Eric Young's Northside home.
Young, 58, is the lead pastor of Ft. Caroline United Methodist Church.
Church members, who did not want us to share their names, tell us Young has been the pastor of the church for about a year.
They say about three weeks ago, Young was put on leave suddenly.
First Coast News has learned, in mid-June, Bellsouth alerted the Church that someone was visting porn websites.
"Members of the church called to report they had seen pornography and they believed it was child pornography on the pastor's computer in his office," says Lt. Mike Gwynes of the JSO vice squad.
Police say they did forensic testing on the church's computer and found that it was child porn.
"Based on analysis, it was child porn and it could have only been placed there by the pastor," says Lt. Gwynes.
Lt. Gwynes says all kinds of porn were on there, but the basis for the arrest was a video of child porn.
According to the police report, it was a young girl. The video's name was, "Three year old gets raped..."
Police arrested Young at his home and booked him in jail.
The United Methodist Church's District Superintendent, Richard Neal, released this statement to First Coast News:
"We've taken the situation very seriously. He was removed from his responsibilties immediately and with his agreement he stepped aside. I'm disappointed. I'm concerned for our congregation and I'm concerned for our pastor."
Neal says Young could face formal church charges and a church trial. That trial would decide whether or not Young would keep in pastoral license.