Last month, Jonathan Elwing, the pastor of Palm View Baptist Church was arrested for possession of child pornography that he purchased with cryptocurrency. The arrest made national news and has become a point of contention in the Southern Baptist Convention as his church’s loose associations with various ministries are used as ammunition by men with low character. Nevertheless, the arrest has been escalated as Jonathan Elwing was not simply a consumer coomer, but also a producer.
Jonathan Elwing has been charged with two counts of capital sexual battery, six counts of production of child sexual abuse material and six counts of possession of child sexual abuse material. In Florida, sexual battery is defined by statute as one of two things. The first meaning of sexual battery is when a defendant’s sex organ makes contact with or penetrates the mouth, anus or vagina of the victim. The second definition means the defendant penetrated the anus or vagina of the victim with an object. In Florida, it is now a capital offense to sexually batter a child.
According to the Bradenton Herald:
A forensic search of Elwing’s cell phone revealed images of him sexually battering a child, along with the production and possession of 12 images of child sexual abuse material, according to a sheriff’s office news release. According to an arrest report, Elwing said he sometimes purchases adult pornography and claimed that he deletes any child sexual abuse material that “may get mixed in.” But when investigators extracted hidden files from his phone, deputies say he was using a private photo vault app to hide at least 14 pictures of him sexually abusing a 2-year-old.
There is no known information about the victim at this time. Additionally, police have uncovered hidden cameras in his home and at the church he was a pastor at. It is also suspected that more charges will be announced as police continue digging through his phone.
