Pastor Jailed: Charged with Five Counts of Child Molestation

Daily Courier
December 23, 2016

http://m.dcourier.com/news/2016/dec/23/pastor-jailed-charged-five-counts-child-molestatio/

Rev. Thomas J. Chantry

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PRESCOTT – On Dec.20, Rev. Thomas J. Chantry was ordered held without bond in the Camp Verde jail, Chief Deputy County Attorney Dennis McGrane said.

Chantry, 46, was indicted in Yavapai County Superior Court on eight counts – five counts of child molestation and three of aggravated assault – for offenses committed in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when he worked at the Miller Valley Baptist Church.

Chantry left the Prescott area over 10 years ago and was arrested in Wisconsin in July. He was working as a pastor in the town of Hale’s Corners at the time; the church where he was employed has a message on its website saying that “Mr. Chantry is currently on a leave of absence from the church.”

After his arrest, on a warrant taken out by Prescott Police, he posted bond in Wisconsin, then came to court in Prescott and was allowed to return, said Dwight D’Evelyn, spokesman for the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office.

Chantry was not booked into the Camp Verde jail at the time.

But in a hearing before visiting Maricopa County Judge Bradley Astrowsky on Tuesday, Chantry was sent to the county jail, “determined to be non-bondable,” McGrane said.