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Baptist Minister Caught In Texas Sex Sting Save Email Print
Posted: 7:14 AM May 18, 2008
 Last Updated: 7:14 AM May 18, 2008
 Reporter: Courtesy KWTX.com
18 comments
A | A | A

A minister who counseled adults at Prestonwood Baptist Church in the Dallas suburb of Plano is among those snared in a sting in central Texas that targeted online sexual predators.

Police say Joe Barron, 53, drove more than three hours from Plano to Bryan to meet what he thought was a 13-year-old girl he had met over the Internet.

The girl was actually a Bryan police officer.

A Bryan police statement says the online conversations with the minister were sexually explicit in nature.

The statement says officers asked Barron on May 6 for an
in-person rendezvous in Bryan, where Barron was arrested.

Inside his car alongside a hymnal, officers found a box of condoms and a Web camera, which police say they think was intended as a present for the teenage girl Barron expected to meet.

Mike Buster, the executive pastor of the 20,000-member church, issued a statement Friday in which he said, “We are disturbed and saddened by the reports we have heard and we are praying for the Barron family. We are fully cooperating with the police in their investigation.”

Barron’s bond was set at $7,000.

He’s the 12th person Bryan police have arrested for online solicitation of minors since 2006.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
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Posted by: Anonymous Location: NC on May 22, 2008 at 03:03 AM
I agree with Heaven Bound. But, I also think about what people say. When they refer them as those church-folk. What I mean by that is the saved, lift Jesus up, falling out, speaking in tongue are the main ones. The so called Christian like are the ones doing all the dirt. Yet and still always preaching about sinners going to hell or heaven. Truth be told the sinners are living more righteous then half of the saved. Go figure......how many sinners you know do things and know it's wrong and they don't try to cover it up. Them church-folk raise more hell and high water then the sinners. But, I can't jugde this man.........because the bible do speak on that. I just feel like people should some of them hold that position? Some are called by God, and some call themselves preacher by going to Bible Colleges and stuff. The motto for alot of preachers should be "Follow me, as long as I follow Christ"
Posted by: Anonymous Location: NC on May 21, 2008 at 04:51 PM
Yes all christians are bad because of what this guy who professes to be a christian did. All cops are bad because look at what they did to Rodney King. All nurses are bad because that one nurse was poisening patients. Feel free to jump in all you atheiest christian bashers....
Posted by: Anonymous Location: NC on May 21, 2008 at 04:18 PM
To Dave in Greenville. The liberal media just likes to report it more if it happens to be a preacher. Their are probably dozens of non-preachers for every preacher convicted of this crime that the media never reports.
Posted by: Anonymous Location: NC on May 21, 2008 at 03:55 PM
Bill Clinton WAS impeached. Go look it up. The house of representatives impeached him. That means charges were filed against him. The senate aquitted him that is why he wasn't removed from office. Officially he was one of only 2 presidents to be impeached.
Posted by: NB on May 21, 2008 at 12:37 PM
Christian forgiveness is not meant to release the person from accountability for the CRIME. And sex offenders do not rehabilitate or recover.
Posted by: WHY Location: Somewhere in NC on May 20, 2008 at 06:10 PM
Did you see the other charges on this man? There may be more charges...I'm not surprise
Posted by: Dave Location: Greenville on May 20, 2008 at 01:12 PM
Its funny how all these conservative preachers (Babtists, Methodists, Catholic) seem to be the biggest scumbags around.
Posted by: Rosebud Location: Lagrange on May 20, 2008 at 09:53 AM
Anonymous...I will agree with you.....why was the bond only $7000? He's probably already out!
Posted by: Anonymous on May 19, 2008 at 07:44 PM
Just take God and sin out of this. This Man is nothing but a scum bag. Plain and simple.
Posted by: 4the children Location: Raleigh on May 19, 2008 at 07:25 PM
Ok yes he sin, but he also committed a crime! Nobody is judging this man and yes he makes mistakes, but this is beyond a mistake! What will make this man do such thing like this is because he dont expect christians to judge him because thats the nature of a christian...I believe in god and I wont judge you until I have a reason like this! He deserve insult,to be critized, exposed and talked about. That's some of the same stuff thats going on out in Texas. YeS He'S wrong!
Posted by: S Location: Washington,NC on May 19, 2008 at 06:54 PM
Just for the record,MJB,Clinton was NOT impeached....if he had been he would not have continued his term...it was an attempted impeachment with a lot of political overtones from the opposite party...both parties have been involved in sex scandals & they always will be...This so-called minister just happens to be a hypocrite in the worst way...I agree,we are all sinners & we all deserve forgiveness...but its the hypocrisy that is the worse thing here.
Posted by: MJB Location: Windsor on May 19, 2008 at 04:49 PM
He may be a Republican too. What's that got to do with it. At least when some republicans's sins are found out they apologize and say they did wrong. Most democrats, deny they even did anything wrong. Bill Clinton still thinks he did nothing wrong, even though he was impeached. Nobody is perfect,what this man did is not right, I can't judge him, I sin every day. Non-christians just cannot understand that Christians are not perfect, just forgiven.
Posted by: God FEARING Christian Location: Kinston, NC on May 19, 2008 at 10:53 AM
Thank you Heaven Bound from Goldsboro. I agree with you 100%. SIN is SIN no matter how big or small. This pastor needs our prayers not our insults. People get on here and claim to know and love God yet, you bash his children. WE are all Gods children no matter what. This man is sick, he needs our love and prayer not our lame, insulting comments. I am a mother and this saddens me to no end yet, I am also a CHRISTian and God forgives and we should as well. Thankfully a young girl did not get hurt and this man will get what he deserves. Let God and the courts judge this man.
Posted by: Mouth Of The Hood Location: Greenville on May 19, 2008 at 10:34 AM
You are so right Heaven bound! Thanks for enlightening the board. I couldn't of said it better.
Posted by: Heaven bound Location: Goldsboro, NC on May 18, 2008 at 01:10 PM
satan tempts those with the stongest faith. When you trust in GOd you should lean not on your own, but in all thoughts & actions.. ask for God's advice. All have sined and fallen short of the kingdom of God... also my favorite and final... don't point out a splinter in one's eye when you have a 2x4 in your own eye! you are not perfect and neither is he. GOd is good and forgiving. YES HE WAS WRONG and for sure- should be punished, but have you ever sinnned? All sins are equal to GOD. steal a penny or kill a person.. a sin is a sin!
Posted by: WHY Location: somewhere in NC on May 18, 2008 at 10:10 AM
OMG...this goes to show you who's preaching the word! This saddened me when I hear of people (men and women) taking advantage of young children. I'm glad they exposed his face online... THANKS WITN!
Posted by: Sally Location: NC on May 18, 2008 at 08:34 AM
This man should be 'defrocked' and ex-communicated from his church. Anyone that supports him "in the name of God" or in any other way must also support pedophilia.
Posted by: Chuck Location: Hertford on May 18, 2008 at 07:34 AM
Wow - what a shocker, another 'christian' involved in a scandal...I'll bet he is a republican too. No gay marriages, just pedofilia.
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