Chalkville, Alabama: On Wednesday, October 19 a pastor of First Baptist Church of Chalkville, 64-year-old Kenneth Daniel, was arrested on a charge of facilitating solicitation of unlawful sexual conduct with a child.
Local media reached out to the church for a statement but has not yet received any response. The staff page of the website has been taken offline and their Facebook page is currently unavailable.
The charge stems from the report of a 7-year-old girl that told her grandfather that Daniel had touched her inappropriately "on numerous occasions" between January 2020 and October 11, 2022.
The girl disclosed that one of those occasions was at a pool party Daniel had organized for the girl and other young children. Other alleged abuse occurred at the church and Daniel's residence.
The grandfather told investigators that he remembered Daniel contacting him by phone to arrange for the girl to be brought to "the locations of disclosed abuse" complete with providing directions.
Blount County Sheriff Mark Moon spoke with WIAT concerning the arrest saying, "It has alarmed us. I mean it really has, it hurts our hearts any time a child is a victim of any crime, but specifically something this heinous. I mean a sex crime against a child, that has a lifetime- it does a lifetime of damage."
Sheriff Moon went on to say, "I hope that anybody that's out there, that thinks that they can get away with this, you know, what happens in the dark- it's eventually going to be brought to light. And when it does, we're coming to get you."
At this time Daniel remains in custody. His next court date is unknown.