13 Former East Texas Pastors Named in SBC Sexual Abuse Cases

The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) has released a list of hundreds of former pastors and other personnel accused of sexual abuse to the public.

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KWTX is reporting that Guidepost Solutions' database was released as part of a sexual abuse investigation showing over 100 cases originating state-wide in Texas.

Texas Sexual Abuse Cases

13 SBC sex abuse cases came from East Texas. In the meantime, the firm has stated the report is incomplete, not fully researched, and is not specific to the Southern Baptist denomination.

According to the report, these are the East Texas cases:

• Joshua Lee Allen - Former pastor at Tyler Street Baptist Church in Jacksonville, sentenced to four years in prison for possession of child pornography.
• Greg Dickens - Former youth group sponsor from First Baptist Church in Winona,  sentenced to a 20-year prison term for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl.
• Tommy Gilmore - Former minister at First Baptist Church in Tyler. Accused of sexual assault in multiple states, including Texas.
• Russell Thomas Hirner - Former principal for Longview Baptist Christian Academy, sentenced to 15 years in prison for sexually abusing at least 7 girls.
• Kevin Laferney - Former youth minister at First Baptist Church in Glenwood,  serving a life sentence for aggravated sexual assault of a child.
• Matthew Allen McMurray - Former counselor at Timberline Baptist Camp in Lindale. Sentenced to 20 years in prison for sexually abusing a 13-year-old girl.
• Billie Lewis Minson - Former Pastor of First Baptist Church in Swan. Pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual contact with a child.
• Jefferson Marion Moore, Jr. - Former pastor and owner of Dogwood City Daycare. Sentenced to life in prison for raping a child and sexually abusing two children at the daycare.
• Joe David Nelms - Former volunteer Bible study teacher at First Baptist Church in Lindale. Registered as a sex offender in Texas.
• Joshua Neal Ponder - Former youth minister with first Baptist Church of Mabank. Arrested for sexual assault of a teenager.
• Hezekiah Stallworth - Former pastor of Oak Grove Baptist Church in Elkhart and Beulah Baptist Church of Palestine. Serving a 20-year sentence for aggravated assault of a child and indecency with a child.
• Anthony Lynn Thibodeaux - Former pastor at Fairfield Missionary Baptist Church in Fairfield. Sentenced to 10 years in prison for sexual assault of a child and two counts of indecency with a child by contact.
• Kennedy Eugene Ward - Former Pastor of Eastside Baptist in Henderson. Ward admitted to molesting more than 40 children before his death.

The SBC Executive Committee has entered into an agreement for Guidepost to maintain a way for survivors to submit confidential allegations of abuse by calling the hotline at 202-864-5578 or online via SBChotline@guidepostsolutions.com.