One Hamilton County man among state’s 16 convicted
A database compiled by two newspapers found 16 Southern Baptist leaders in Tennessee who were convicted of sex abuse crimes over 20 years — along with 380 “credibly accused” officials nationwide, about 220 of whom had been convicted or pleaded guilty.
Most of those are in prison or registered sex offenders, the investigation found, but some still work in Southern Baptist churches.
The full report by the Houston Chronicle and the San Antonio Express-News can be found online at bit. ly/2GlhPY9.
CONVICTIONS FOUND IN TENNESSEE
› Larry Michael Berkley, a pastor convicted in Lauderdale County in 2014, was convicted of 16 crimes, including four counts of aggravated statutory rape and four counts of sexual battery by an authority figure. He is serving a 33 year sentence.
› Mark W. Mangrum, a pastor convicted in 2007 in federal court, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison and 20 years of supervised release for distributing child porn to “induce a minor to engage in sexual conduct.” He is a registered sex offender.
› Steven Carl Haney, a pastor convicted in Shelby County, was convicted of a 2003 sexual battery by an authority figure and in state court of a 2001 rape. He was the pastor of Walnut Grove Baptist Church in Cordova for 20 years before resigning in 2006, according to an article from Baptist News Global.
› Charles Alan Denton, an associate pastor convicted in Montgomery County, is now a registered sex offender for a 2014 sexual battery.
› Christopher Douglas Ross, a youth pastor convicted in Wilson County in 2016, is serving a four year sentence in state prison.
› Donald Brent Page, a youth pastor convicted in federal court, was convicted of crossing state lines with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor in Tennessee in 2008. He was sentenced to 36 months for coercion or enticement of a minor in Memphis.
› Gregory Stanley Dempsey, a music minister convicted in Hamilton County, was convicted of a 2003 sexual battery by an authority figure.
› Heath Tyler Ransom, a youth minister convicted in Madison County, is listed as a sex offender for a 2017 conviction of criminal attempt to commit solicitation of a minor.
› Jason Evan Kennedy, a youth minister convicted in Knox County, is a registered sex offender for soliciting a minor for sex.
› Joseph Todd Neill, a youth pastor convicted in federal court, is listed as a sex offender for two statutory rapes and a related pornography charge. He was convicted of the federal possession of pornography charge in 2014 and released in 2017.
› Luke A. Cooke, a youth minister convicted in Shelby County and federal court in 2015, was convicted for “coercion or enticement of a minor” and transporting a juvenile with the intent of engaging in illegal sexual activity.
› Timothy Neal Byars, a youth minister charged in Knox County in 2008, is a registered sex offender for rape and an attempt to commit sexual battery.
› Timothy Ronald Felts, a youth pastor convicted in Cheatham County in 2009 and 2016, was convicted of sexual battery and later of three counts of aggravated statutory rape and attempted aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor.
› Chad Eugene Luttrell, a church volunteer convicted in 2010 in Madison County, pled guilty to a charge of sexual battery and is a registered sex offender.
› Cristopher Ryan Crossno, a Sunday school teacher convicted in 2015 in Montgomery County, is a registered sex offender with a conviction of sexual battery.
› Mark Curtis Adams, a youth teacher convicted in federal court in 2018, pled guilty to a charge that he used a social media application to induce a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity.