A Florida pastor is facing more than a dozen felony counts for sexually abusing children as young as two years old.
Jonathan Edward Elwing, 43, a former senior pastor of Palm View Baptist Church in Palmetto, Florida, was originally charged with four counts of possession of child sexual abuse material.
The charges came after officers executed a search warrant at his home and church last week when they received information that he used cryptocurrency to purchase child sexual abuse material online. Four “sexually explicit photos of children” were found on his cell phone.
Forensic search of Elwing’s cell phone revealed additional images of him sexually battering a child along with the production and possession of 12 images of child pornography, according to WWSB ABC 7. Police say one of the photos shows Elwing abusing a 2-year-old.
Police also found eight to 10 hidden cameras in Elwing’s home and his church office.
He has been charged with 14 additional counts including, two counts of Capital Sexual Battery, six counts of Production of Child Sexual Abuse Material, and six counts of Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material.
“I can’t stress this enough, this is a monster. He went into that church professing to be a man of God. But really, he is nothing more than a liar and a sexual predator,” Sheriff Rick Wells said during a press conference. “He would abuse anyone at anytime. There doesn’t seem to be a limit to what he is capable of.”
The investigation is ongoing and authorities are expecting more charges to be brought against Elwing, WWSB reports.
Elwing resigned from his position as pastor of the church before he was arrested last week. He remains in custody at the Manatee County Jail.
