PUBLIC NOTICE
This ex-preacher is being released from prison on October 13, 2006 after serving approximately three years for child pornography (see Waco Tribune Herald story below). I was personally informed that the pictures he was viewing online were of diaper aged children as well as older children. He is being released to the Waco, Texas area and may possibly move to Ohio where he has family as soon as he is allowed. The above picture is 5 years old and so his appearance may have changed. This man will have to register as a sex offender but stay on guard. He was able to fool 3 congregations into believing that he was a man of God.
This man used the internet to prey on children. Please help me use it to make sure that he never harms a child again. If you see this man with any child...please contact the police.
Waco Tribune-Herald (TX)
January 25, 2003
Clergyman faces porn charges; Former Clifton minister accused of possessing sexual images of kids
Author: TOMMY WITHERSPOON
Tribune-Herald staff writer
Article Text:
A former Bosque County minister whoreportedly collected and traded child pornography on his churchcomputer has been charged with possession of the illegal images.
The Rev. James Ray Jones, the 56-year-old former pastor of FirstUnited Methodist Church in Clifton, was charged this week in Waco'sfederal court with possession of child pornography.
Jones, anordained minister since 1991, was implicated in an FBI sting operationafter he reportedly sent images of child pornography to an undercoverFBI agent he met in an Internet chat room, federal officials have said.
FBIagents executed search warrants at the church parsonage in Clifton andat Jones' church office in March 2002 and seized evidence of childpornography from Jones' computers.
Agents also uncovered videoclips of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct in a directorytitled "prayers" on Jones' church office computer, according to recordsfiled in the case.
Jones is still a licensed clergyman but took aleave of absence April 12, 2002. He is no longer affiliated with aUnited Methodist church, said Carolyn Stephens, spokeswoman for theCen! tral Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church, whichincludes the Waco district and Clifton.
Joneshas not been arrested on the charges and will report to court, likelynext week, when U.S. Magistrate Jeffrey Manske sets an initialappearance hearing, said Jones' attorney, Rob Swanton.
"Thishas been a very difficult time for Reverend Jones and his family,"Swanton said. "He has fully cooperated in every manner with thegovernment and will continue to cooperate with them regarding thiscase."
If convicted, Jones faces up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.
Afteragents conducted searches of his home and office, Jones told them hehad been collecting and trading child pornography on the Internet sincespring or summer 2001, according to records filed in the case. Recordsindicate that when agents asked him why he did it, Jones reportedlysaid, "Curiosity without desire."
"Pastor Jones admitted thatabout a week and ! a half prior to March 22, 2002, he had erased allthe child pornography from his computer because he knew it was wrong to collect childpornography," according to records filed in the case by Assistant U.S.Attorney Greg Gloff.
Jonestold agents that he entered Internet chat rooms and traded childpornography with "other individuals on many occasions," court recordsindicate.
Gloff declined to comment on the case.
Beforecoming to Clifton in September 2001, Jones served as pastor at otherTexas churches in Emhouse, Fort Worth and Springtown, Stephens said.
TheRev. Tom Beaty succeeded Jones at the Clifton church in June. Beatysaid he was not aware of the specifics of Jones' departure from thechurch.
"I don't know the circumstances," Beaty said Friday. "Infact, I asked not to know them. We have a church here and a ministry,and we just go on. When you have a change in pastors very suddenly, italways creates some hurt and some confusion. We have gotten past that,and I don't want to open up old hurt feelings. We! have been able tomove on beyond that here in the last few months."
Tommy Witherspoon can be reached at 757-5737 or at twitherspoon@wacotrib.com.
SATURDAY, JAN. 25
Copyright 2003, 2004 Cox Newspapers, Inc. - Waco Tribune-Herald
Record Number: 105BA5CDAC9890FE
Cross posted to various communities