HOUSTON (TX)
Chron [Houston TX]
December 4, 2025
By Jamil David, Culture Reporter
A volunteer youth pastor at a church in the Houston area was arrested on suspicion of possessing child sex abuse materials.
On Nov. 26, Carter August Thomas, a volunteer at Houston’s Second Baptist Church, was taken into custody and charged with one felony count of possessing child pornography.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office was initially made aware of the suspicions in August, according to court records, after deputies received an email from someone claiming that Thomas had confided in them that he had trouble seeking out child abuse content online.
At the time, Thomas confessed he was still officially volunteering with the youth of Second Baptist, where his duties included supervising children. According to The Houston Chronicle, Thomas’s defense attorney, Stephen Aslett, said that he was not working at the church in any capacity when the investigation began.
Per a statement released to the Houston Chronicle by Second Baptist, the church is aware of the situation and is fully cooperating with the authorities.
“Second Baptist Church cares deeply and works tirelessly to ensure the safety and well-being of every member of our community. We have zero tolerance for child abuse or neglect of any kind,” the statement reads. “All church staff and volunteers who may serve in our Children’s and Youth ministries are required to pass a background check every two years.”
A search warrant was later executed at Thomas’s residence in Harris County by HCSO deputies. They spoke with a family member there, who detailed that Thomas had admitted to viewing child abuse content.
According to Click2Houston, court records show that after searching Thomas’s phone and tablet, investigators found 23 pictures that met the criteria for child abuse. Furthermore, digital forensics showed that 14 of the photos had previously been recognized as child abuse material by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The devices’ web browsing history matched the seized content, per court documents.
Thomas was given a $15,000 bond and placed under arrest at the Harris County Jail. His bond requirements include not volunteering at Second Baptist or any other church, keeping at least 1,000 feet away from locations where kids frequently congregate, and abstaining from child-related programming.