FAYETTEVILLE -- A Springdale pastor thought he was meeting a 14-year-old boy for sex, but federal law enforcement agents met him instead, according to authorities.
Timothy Lee Reddin, 67, was arrested Aug. 3 and charged with attempting to coerce or entice a minor online to have sex.
A federal agent was posing as a minor on a website in late July when he received an unprovoked private message from a user named "Lee" who was described as a 62-year-old white male, according to an affidavit filed in U.S. District Court.
The agent responded and a conversation ensued in which the agent told "Lee" he was a 14-year-old virgin who wanted to experiment sexually, the affidavit said. They exchanged contact information.
The agent was online undercover again when "Lee" contacted him Aug. 1. They discussed sex and picked a place to meet Friday in Fayetteville, according to the affidavit. Reddin was arrested when he arrived.
Reddin has a prior conviction in 2000 for possessing child pornography, according to court filings. He was sentenced to two years and three months in prison and ordered to register as a sex offender for life.
Reddin is pastor at the Turner Street Baptist Church, according to the church website.
He previously served at Central Baptist Church in Conway, Pines Baptist Church in Quitman, Barcelona Road Baptist Church in Hot Springs Village and Elmcrest Baptist Church in Abilene, Texas, according to the church website. He was a part-time instructor of American history and government at Ecclesia College in Springdale and former director of missions for the Central Baptist Association in Benton, according to the website.
Metro on 08/13/2018