Posted on 02/01/2023 2:50:44 PM PST by Morgana
A North Carolina Pastor accused by a girl’s parents of grooming their daughter and manipulating custody pleaded guilty to a statutory sexual offense. Trent Brandon Holbert, 41, formerly the pastor of The Ridge Church near Asheville, pleaded guilty to felony attempted statutory sexual offense against a 15-year-old girl.
On Wednesday, January 25, 2023, Judge Sharon Tracey Barrett sentenced Holbert to serve roughly 7-14 years (94-173 months) in state custody, per the plea agreement.
In June 2021, MinistryWatch reported that detectives from the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office Special Victims Unit executed a search warrant, arrested Holbert, and seized several electronic devices.
Police then charged Holbert with one count of indecent liberties with a child and two counts of statutory sex offense with a child between the ages of 6 and 15.
In October 2021, warrants uncovered more details in the case. The documents alleged Holbert groomed the teen by befriending her parents, who joined The Ridge Church.
According to the victim’s family, Holbert used his title as a pastor to manipulate the victim. For example, investigators said because the parents had limited means, Holbert offered their daughter a bedroom in his home. They claim he even bought her undergarments as the two started a relationship. The parents said Holbert manipulated them into signing a parental waiver so he could care for the teen in case they died. Then, investigators said, he called DSS on the teen’s parents and accused them of neglect—a claim that a DSS worker eventually found unsubstantial.
Following his arrest in June of 2021, The Ridge Church (a merge of Ridgecrest Baptist and Passion Fellowship) said in a statement that Holbert had resigned from his pastoral position. In November 2022, the church issued another statement announcing The Ridge Church was hosting its last service Nov. 27 and would then be replanted by Restoration Church.
In addition to pastoring, Holbert hosted the podcast Fit for the Kingdom. The show produced 143 episodes and ranked among the top 2% of most popular shows out of 3,023,568 podcasts.
Holbert must register as a sex offender for 30 years, pay $1,800 in restitution, and have no contact with the victim for the remainder of his natural life.
Unbelieveable.
I’m a sinner and hurting somebody like that just wouldn’t occur to me. I don’t get it.
Our churches are being infiltrated. That is the only reason to explain this.
I suspect these type of people have always been there...hiding behind their religious facade. Perhaps in the past they were quietly removed and no one was the wiser. Those who proclaim their christianity the loudest sometimes have the most to conceal. Never the less it is a sad state of affairs that this type of thing occurs especially to the children and the young innocents.
Yuppers
Satan is alive and well on
Planet Earth!
.
But he has a very short time ⏲️
No, I have not and I listen to/watch several preacher types.
.
I for one, Thank God for that!
I am pretty disgusted with his antics!
Yep.
Note to self.... Time to change the contact lenses....
This has always been there just remember the Catholic Church scandals, perverts like this are always looking for a way to get their hands on kids!! The fact that the liberals of this country are NOW trying their damndest to make this crap NORMAL!!
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome??
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.