Youth Pastor admits having sex with teens

Youth pastor Edwin "Nathan" Smith is sitting in a jail cell in Florida.

A Church Youth Leader was arrested for alleged sexual misconduct with two teenage parishioners. Authorities say the victims are 14 and 15-year-old girls.

It happened at the La Belle Church of God in La Belle. The suspect is 26-year-old Edwin Smith, more commonly known as Nathan-- which is Smith's middle name.

Source: Church youth leader admits having sex with teens

Smith is the youth pastor at La Belle Church of God in La Belle, Florida. Smith is married to the daughter of the Senior Pastor. He stands charged with lewd and lascivious battery, sexual activity with a minor older than 12, and fondling a minor older than 12.

Smith admits to exposing himself to a 14-year-old parishioner in his church office and allowing her to fondle him. He also admits to raping  a 15-year-old girl. I understand from comments on the original post that both girls were fatherless.

...The sad fact is that he has children and they are going to grow up without their father. He was, what I thought, a great man but he has disappointed me and others.

The age of consent in Florida is 18. Nathan Smith is looking at a long stretch in prison and a life for ever marked as a sex offender and pedophile.

The church has some skin in the game. Smith was demoted recently. Apparently, there were previous allegations of misconduct.

Smith has children of his own.  He should know better. The man is a perfect example of Christian hypocrisy.

Technorati tags: Clergy Sexual Misconduct, Florida, Rape, Hypocrisy, Youth Pastors