Ex-Youth Minister and Church Leader Sentenced for 'Guiding' and Recording Sexual Abuse of Boy He Took in to Assist

 

A former youth minister, Austin Wray Perkins, is set to spend more than a decade behind bars in a Georgia state prison after being convicted on multiple charges related to the production of child pornography. The 27-year-old pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated child molestation, child molestation, possession or control of explicit material involving a minor, and using a minor in sexual activities.

In September, Perkins, who was then serving as the youth minister at Grace Fellowship Baptist Church in Floyd County, Georgia, admitted to the charges. The abuse occurred in the far northwestern part of the Peach State, not far from the Alabama border.

In March 2022, the Floyd County Police Department conducted "Operation Spring Cleaning," executing warrants at 21 locations over two days in Rome and Cave Spring. The operation, prompted by reports of suspicious online activities, including the sharing of child pornography, led to seven arrests, including Perkins, who was accused of orchestrating the creation of abusive content.

During the operation, a child was rescued from one of the locations where the abuse material was produced. The child, lacking family or support, had been taken in by Perkins, who not only coached the child on how to act in videos but also engaged in acts of child molestation.

Floyd County Police Sgt. Chris Fincher emphasized the severity of the crime, stating that Perkins directed the child's actions, making it an egregious offense. Law enforcement officials discovered that all the men arrested in the sting operation were in possession of child pornography, which was stored locally and distributed globally.

U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Steve Baisel highlighted the extent of the abuse materials, describing it as a "horrific, extensive, extremely exploitative, and disturbing collection of child pornography."

Perkins, sentenced to 15 years in prison with an additional 25 years of probation, attempted to mitigate the punishment by revealing his history of sexual and physical abuse as a child. His defense attorney, Radford Bunker, argued that these experiences led Perkins to make confused decisions regarding the care of a child.

In a victim impact statement, the rescued child's father expressed the profound impact of the abuse on his son, stating, "I know my son will never be the same from the hell Austin has put him through."

[SOURCE]