A Lakeland youth pastor attempted to groom a teenage girl into sleeping with him but was interrupted by a maid at the last minute.
According to Fox News, investigators discovered that 29-year-old Andrew Weaver, a youth pastor had been "informally counseling" for some time a 17-year-old who had been a member of his youth group for around three years, beginning when she was around 13 years old. This progressed to the youth pastor asking to see the youth's nude photos and engaging with her in a conversation about sexual desires.
According to their report, Weaver met the young girl at the church then drove her to a hotel in Mulberry where he had reserved a room. But, according to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, before anything physical could happen, a maid knocked on the door, frightening Weaver.
"That maid [who] went to the door, she was an angel that day because it freaked him out and the rest of that 'inappropriate counseling session' didn't take place," he said.
The youth informed the investigators that sexual contact would have happened if the maid hadn't intervened and stopped them.
"Instead of him being the adult in the room, he creates a relationship with a 17-year-old child," Judd said. "Did I tell you that he's 29, and married, and a youth pastor?"
"Let me share a little counseling with Andrew here: Jesus don't like that," Judd said of the youth pastor.
The sheriff revealed that the perpetrator, Weaver, works for Highlands Church of Christ. However, when church authorities became aware that Weaver may have been attempting to seduce a minor in his youth group, the sheriff said that they alerted police.
He said that the church did the right thing by handing Weaver over to the sheriff's office once they learned what he had done.
After being arrested by authorities, Weaver expressed regret for having "crossed a line" with the victim and admitted to having problems with impulse control. The arrest took place four days after the church contacted the police, reports Miami Herald
Weaver is facing third-degree of attempted unlawful sex with a minor and interference with child custody.
When Weaver was grilled about his alleged offenses on June 7, he confessed to having attempted the affair at the hotel.
"Weaver advised he believed he had 'crossed a line' with the victim, which he further explained that he was closer to the victim emotionally than he should have been... Weaver stated he struggles with impulse control and then drove himself and the victim to the Best Western Hotel in Mulberry, FL after discussing the VICTIM's sexual fantasies," the court affidavit said.
Weaver is presently incarcerated in the Polk County prison, where he is being held without bail.
"Youth ministers are entrusted with mentoring our children," said Judd, "This minister betrayed that trust and he must be held accountable."
"There are hundreds of thousands of youth ministers (who) do the right thing everyday and provide counsel and leadership and adult supervision to youths who are in need of appropriate leadership. This guy is an embarrassment to every one of those," Judd was also quoted as saying according to the Daily Caller.
