Moody Man Facing Child Sex Charges Is Former Munford Youth Minister

Daily Home
December 17, 2015

http://www.annistonstar.com/the_daily_home/dh_news/moody-man-facing-child-sex-charges-is-former-munford-youth/article_7e1804c8-a50b-11e5-adeb-c333f5562b7d.html

Brian Pesnell was indicted on charges of sexual abuse of a child under the age of 12 and enticing a child.

A Moody man arrested Wednesday on charges of child sex abuse was formerly the associate pastor and youth minister at Munford Baptist Church.

Brian Pesnell, 40, of Amelia Circle in Moody, turned himself in at the St. Clair County Jail in Pell City on Wednesday morning.

According to a story published in The Daily Home in February 2010, Pesnell was named associate pastor at the church in 2006. When he came on board, there were only around a dozen youth in the ministry classes. The youth grew to about 300 in number while Pesnell was there.

Back in March 2011, Pesnell was indicted for rape in the second degree and sexual abuse in the second degree by a St. Clair County grand jury. It was unclear Thursday what the status of the 2011 case was.

Now, Moody police Chief Thomas Hunt said there are two more recent indictments against Pesnell involving children.

Hunt said the first indictment charges Pensell with the sexual abuse of a child under the age of 12.

The second indictment accuses Pesnell of enticing a child.

Pesnell was released shortly after his arrest Wednesday on a $25,000 bond.

The pastor at Munford Baptist Church at the time Pesnell worked there was Tim Thomas, but he is no longer at the church.

Jeff Weathers has been the new pastor at Munford Baptist Church for the past 15 weeks.

“There was an incident that was brought to light,” Weathers said. “It was handled very swiftly, and Pesnell was dismissed from the church July 23, 2010. We do criminal background checks on all of our employees, especially the ones who work with the children and youth. As a church family, our hearts break for any victims of sex crimes.”

Contact Gary Hanner at ghanner@thestclairtimes.com