(GA)
WMAZ-TV, CBS 13 [Macon GA]
April 15, 2026
By Hunter King
The church immediately terminated the employee, and has cooperated with law enforcement investigation. The man was also a teacher and coach in Dublin.
A youth pastor at a Monroe County church is in jail facing five arrest warrants out of Pennsylvania after investigators say he was in contact with a child and downloading explicit images. According to the Monroe County Sheriff’s office, all five counts are for possession of child porn.
In a release, investigators said John Tyler Moreland, 30, of Macon, was arrested by U.S. Marshals in Houston County after Pennsylvania State Police identified pornographic images being downloaded in the area of Mount Zion Baptist Church on Rivoli Road.
Moreland has worked as the Director of Students and Families at the church since June 2025. He was immediately terminated upon his arrest on April 13, 2026, according to church officials.
Larry Collins, head of Trinity Christian School in Dublin, added that Moreland was employed at the school for the school years 2019-2020 and 2020-2021.
Collins said Moreland was a history teacher and had also coached both middle school football and wrestling.
Monroe County Sheriff Brad Freeman said Pennsylvania authorities contacted his office after discovering the images during their investigation.
“The images were in Pennsylvania,” Freeman said. “Pennsylvania State Police has those images, hence why he was charged in Pennsylvania, because they’re the ones that started and pretty much uncovered this.”
Moreland is currently being held without bond while awaiting extradition to Pennsylvania. His extradition hearing is scheduled for Thursday, April 16, in Houston County Superior Court.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with the FBI, is now investigating whether any offenses were committed in Georgia. Search warrants have been obtained for devices in Monroe and Bibb counties.
“Right now, there is no reason to believe anything like that was happening,” Freeman said regarding potential incidents at the church. “However, we are currently investigating it.”
Church officials said they have been fully cooperative with law enforcement. Pastor Andy Oxford released a statement saying the church family is devastated by the news.
“Upon learning of this arrest, Mr. Morland was immediately terminated,” Oxford said in the statement. “The church offered full and unrestricted access to law enforcement and will continue to do so throughout the course of this investigation.”
Oxford said background checks and interviews were completed before Moreland’s employment, all showing no indications of prior misconduct or concerning behavior.
Freeman said the church sealed Moreland’s office before deputies arrived to preserve a potential crime scene and has provided electronic devices to investigators. Those devices are being sent to a crime lab for analysis.
“The church was extremely helpful,” Freeman said. “It’s not like they’re circling the wagons and saying, ‘Oh, don’t look here.’ They’re like, ‘Hey, we want you to come in here and investigate cause we want to know if there’s any evidence.'”
The sheriff noted that offenders often position themselves to be around children through volunteer work or youth-focused employment.
Freeman emphasized that these cases, while rare in Monroe County, do occur. He encouraged parents to monitor their children’s electronic devices.
“Encourage parents to always check your kid’s devices,” Freeman said. “I mean, you pay for the device. You know, it’s your device, so you certainly can get it.”
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Communications Division at 478-994-7010 or the Investigations Division at 478-994-7043.
The Pennsylvania State Police and FBI declined to comment on the ongoing investigation.