Back in April 2017, rolling out reported on the story of two Ohio pastors and the alleged rape of a teen girl. Pastor Cordell Jenkins, 46, founder and leader of Abundant Life Ministries in Toledo, along with Anthony Haynes, 37, are accused of exploiting a then-14-year-old Black girl in a series of sexual encounters over a period of years.
The details were disturbing and included group sex, lesbian sex and even sex acts that took place in the church itself. Evidence of the crime was bolstered by security camera video showing the girl entering and leaving hotel rooms with Haynes and Jenkins. Soon, the FBI became involved and a federal grand jury was convened, This week that jury indicted Jenkins, Haynes and a third pastor identified as Rev. Kenneth Butler on conspiracy to sex traffic children. All three men pleaded not guilty Tuesday.
According to the indictment, Butler is charged with trafficking a third underage girl between 2015 and March of 2017. The victim told investigators that she met Butler at Haynes’ church when she was 15 and that he would give her rides to his church in the Detroit area. She also stated to authorities that she had sex with Butler in his car two times and that money was exchanged. Butler also told the girl to lie to the FBI if she was questioned about their relationship. Butler was also indicted on two counts of sex-trafficking children and one count of obstruction of a sex trafficking investigation.
Haynes and Butler have also been charged with obstruction of a sex trafficking investigation. Haynes is accused of attempting to destroy electronic evidence of sex trafficking, while Butler is accused of instructing another individual to lie and then lying himself to law enforcement about his involvement.
