Former pastor who once worked with Oklahoma youth pleads guilty to child exploitation in Tennessee

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (KFOR) – A former pastor who as soon as labored with youth in Oklahoma pleaded responsible to youngster exploitation in Memphis, Tenn.

Joshua Henley, 33, previously of Benton County, Tenn., and Evansville, Ind., pleaded responsible in federal district courtroom Monday to an eight-count indictment, in line with a U.S. Division of Justice information launch.

Henley admitted he produced youngster sexual abuse materials involving three minors, transported a minor interstate whereas intending to have interaction in sexual exercise with the minor, despatched obscene photographs and movies to a minor and possessed and transported youngster sexual abuse materials, DOJ officers stated.

He was a pastor at Holladay Church of Christ in Benton County, Tenn., beginning in 2018, and coached the Holladay Elementary Faculty women’ basketball staff.

Henley took a job at an Evansville, Ind., church in April 2021. He drove again to Tennessee in June 2021 to choose up a younger teenage feminine and take her again to Indiana so she might assist on the Trip Bible Faculty he was operating.

He had intercourse with the minor whereas in Indiana. She later informed authorities that Henley began participating in sexual exercise together with her two years earlier than he took her to Indiana. She additionally stated he requested her to take sexually specific footage and ship them to him by way of a chat utility, DOJ officers stated.

One other younger teen additionally informed authorities in 2020 that Henley requested her to create and ship sexually specific photographs.

Henley was arrested on June 18, 2021, when he was driving the primary teen again to Tennessee. Investigators obtained a warrant to go looking his cellular phone and located sexually specific photographs of each teenagers, in addition to video of him having intercourse with a 3rd younger teen lady.

He has additionally labored with younger individuals in Oklahoma and Texas, in line with DOJ officers.

Henley is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 23, 2022 in Jackson, Tenn. He shall be sentenced to a minimal of 15 years or a most of life in jail.