Charles Goff, former Texas megachurch youth leader, arrested after confessing attraction to child porn

By Leonardo Blair, Senior Reporter Friday, November 01, 2024

Charles Goff, a former volunteer youth leader at Beltway Park Church, a Baptist Evangelical multi-site megachurch in Abilene, Texas, who admitted to struggling with pornographic videos of teenage girls, has been arrested and charged Wednesday with possession of child pornography.

Court documents cited by KTXS 12 said Goff, 24, confessed to a church member that he particularly struggled with pornographic videos of 14- to 15-year-old girls and the police were called in. When detectives interviewed Goff, he allegedly told them he had been asking teenage girls for nude pictures on various social media platforms.

Three pornographic videos of young girls were later discovered on Goff's phone, and he was booked into the Taylor County Jail with a $100,000 bond.

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David McQueen, the church’s lead pastor, subsequently released a statement Wednesday noting that the church is cooperating fully with the investigation and noted that Goff had passed multiple background checks.

McQueen said Goff’s confession about his struggles with underage teen porn was made in June, and they had been working with law enforcement since then.

“In June 2024, we were made aware that a former volunteer with our youth ministry confessed to soliciting inappropriate photos and videos of minors online. Upon receiving this report, we immediately notified the proper authorities. We have and will continue to cooperate fully with the investigation,” McQueen said.

“Although we do not know all the specific details about which charges have been filed or the findings of the authorities, here is what we know: This former volunteer had been a youth volunteer in our church for approximately three years, until this past summer. As part of our normal safety protocols, this individual passed a background check before he was an active volunteer in 2022 and then again as part of our standard volunteer protocol in 2024,” McQueen explained.

He further noted that prior to Goff’s confession in June, he had been in good standing at the church and there were no complaints about him.

“We currently have no indication that any minors from our church were involved in any inappropriate activity with this former volunteer. If you have information that would help the authorities in their investigation or any questions about their findings, we encourage you to contact the Abilene Police Department at 325-673-8331,” McQueen said.

“We remain committed to doing everything in our power to support the ongoing investigation. We have tremendous grief for any children in any location who may be proven to have been harmed by this person’s actions.”

In Barna’s recently released research report, Beyond the Porn Phenomenon, produced in partnership with Pure Desire Ministries, a majority of practicing Christians, including pastors, admitted to viewing pornography and a large share say they are comfortable with the habit.

Researchers found that pornography use is so prevalent among all demographics and the gap in use among Christians and non-Christians, as well as men and women, has grown narrower over the last eight years.

While many churches may not be running specific programs to help porn users, 75% of U.S. pastors said they are individually ministering to those who struggle with porn. They reported that half of those who've sought help from them, 51%, are married men.

Some 67% of pastors also reported having a personal history of porn use, with 18% saying their struggle with porn is current. An overwhelming majority of pastors or 86%, also believe that porn use is common among Christian pastors.

Almost 90% of youth leaders said they wish parents would talk to their teenagers about sexual health and behaviors, but 70% of them say they believe “friends” and “social media” have the biggest influence on what young people learn about sex today.

The researchers noted that the study presented a series of conflicts.

“More porn than ever, but fewer come across it unintentionally; more disapproval of porn generally, but less discomfort with its presence personally; more usage, but less acceptance. These contradictions highlight the intricate dance among societal norms, personal behaviors, and moral judgments. But what can be done to reconcile them? Perhaps an analogy to junk food offers some insight,” they noted.

It added, “ ... the allure of porn, combined with societal permissiveness and accessibility, can lead individuals to engage in behavior they know to be unwise. Recognizing this complexity underscores the need for nuanced discussions and solutions regarding pornography, conversations that acknowledge both its potential harms and the realities of human behavior.”