Pastor faces sex misconduct charges

Indianapolis Star

April 3, 2009

A pastor in Johnson County was arrested today on charges he had a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old member of his church.

Pastor Daniel J. Moore of New Whiteland Baptist Church on Sawmill Road in New Whiteland was jailed on two counts of felony sexual misconduct with a minor and one count of felony child solicitation, according to a news release from the Franklin Police Department.

He was being held in lieu of $50,000 bond in the Johnson County Jail in Franklin.

Franklin police received information on March 28 about suspicious behavior between the pastor and the teenager, the news release said.

The investigation focused on a series of events from January through March, the release said.

The source of the information told police Moore may have had a sexual relationship with the teen and facts in the case support the suspicions, according to the release.

The release stated that after others became suspicious of Moore’s behavior, Moore allegedly obtained a second cellular phone and provided the teen with an additional cellular card to enable the relationship to continue undetected.

Police said further details were being withheld to protect the ongoing investigation.

http://www.indystar.com/article/20090403/LOCAL04/90403027

SNAP note: New Whiteland Baptist Church is shown as a church affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention.