Youth pastor accused of hiding camera in bathroom, charged with child porn possession
A Florida youth pastor who was previously accused of hiding a camera in a church bathroom has now been charged with possession of child pornography.
David Patrick Nims, a youth pastor at Calvary Baptist Church of Pensacola, was previously arrested after being accused of hiding a camera in a church bathroom.
The Escambia County Sheriff's Office announced on Facebook Friday that they were charging Nims with possession of child pornography a week after arresting him for the earlier charge.
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According to the sheriff’s office, investigators found more than 100 files of child pornography at Nims home, with more charges possibly being added later.
“None of those child victims appear to have a local connection and were not videotaped by Nims himself. The files appear to have been downloaded off the internet,” the Sheriff's Office added.
“ECSO Special Victims Unit Investigators are still working on this case, analyzing additional digital files. More charges could be added.”
Earlier this month, a hidden surveillance camera was found by a teenager in the men’s bathroom at Calvary Baptist Church, with authorities being called soon after the discovery.
According to an arrest report cited by ABC News affiliate WEAR, the hidden camera was located at “the drain pipe under the sink in the stall” and faced “towards the toilet he was sitting on.”
When police viewed the video clips from the camera, they reportedly saw a man retrieving the electronic device whom witnesses identified as Nims.
“All of them state it appeared Nims was installing the camera and was wearing the same clothes in the video that they saw him wearing at church that day,” continued the report.
Calvary Baptist Church Pastor Walt Magaha released a statement to WEAR in response to the first arrest, explaining that his church was “grieved and saddened by the allegations and circumstances regarding the arrest of Patrick Nims.”
“We are cooperating fully with law enforcement as they conduct their ongoing investigation and stand ready to provide care and ministry toward those involved and/or affected as information is shared with us, if it shared,” Magaha stated.
Nims was charged with one count of "video voyeurism by a person 18 or older, who is responsible for the welfare of a child younger than 16," according to NorthEscambia.com. “Anyone that believes they may be a victim of Nims, or knows that someone that may be a victim, is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.”
After his first arrest on the video voyeurism charge, Nims was released on a $10,000 bond hours after he was booked, the Orlando Sentinel reported.
