Accused youth pastor now faces potential federal child sex trafficking charges – Baptist News Global

Luke Cunningham, former youth pastor A Texas man from four churches arrested June 19 by U.S. Marshals is now under investigation by the FBI for alleged international and interstate sex trafficking.

The investigation involves allegations that he sexually abused female students on out-of-state and overseas mission trips while on staff at a Lubbock megachurch.

The BNG independently reported and verified FBI involvement on June 27, but withheld that specific information to protect the identities of potential victims and preserve the integrity of the investigation.

At a bail hearing on July 1,Lubbock County prosecutors have revealed details of Cunningham's alleged abusive behavior. Several local media outlets have reported the information, including Lubbock's NBC affiliate KCBD.

Prosecutors argued that Cunningham was a violent offender who slapped and choked his victims until they lost consciousness.

Prosecutors said Cunningham was a violent offender who slapped and choked his victims until they lost consciousness. They also said he was a serial manipulator and seducer who arranged for his victims to attend mission trips and camps, including out-of-state and international programs that took place in New Mexico and Guatemala.

Arrest warrants obtained by BNG through a Public Information Act request to the Lubbock County District Attorney's Office indicate that Cunningham is accused of violently raping one victim (which is a two-count count of sexual assault of a child and aggravated sexual assault) and sexually assaulting another victim with his hands.

Because a victim would have was assaulted in an international context, Cunningham's alleged criminal act meets the federal statutory definition of sex trafficking.

Section 2423(c) of Title 18 of the United States Code prohibits traveling from the United States to a foreign country and sexually assaulting a child, paying a child for sex, or soliciting a child for sex.

The Justice Department notes on its website that the law falls under “extraterritorial jurisdiction,” which gives the government the power to prosecute crimes even if they did not occur in the United States.

If a person travels outside the country “with intent to engage in unlawful sexual intercourse” with a child, they fall under Section 2423(d) of the same law. They may be automatically liable for prosecution for “sex trafficking of children or by force, fraud or coercion.”

At a minimum, Cunningham faces at least one federal felony count of “illicit sexual conduct abroad.” If investigators can prove that Cunningham took his students abroad in part or in whole to facilitate the sexual abuse, he could also be charged with “traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct” and “sex trafficking of children by force, fraud or coercion.”

If charged and convicted of the first two offenses, Cunningham faces up to 60 years in prison. If convicted of sex trafficking, Cunningham faces 15 years to life in prison.

At the hearing, Cunningham's lawyer, Michael King asked the court to reduce bail from $500,000 to $100,000. King cited a previous investigation by the Lubbock County District Attorney that did not result in criminal charges. King argued that Cunningham does not pose a current threat to the community.

“Cunningham's attorney reiterated that Cunningham…had been easy to locate for years, since his information was posted on Lakeside's website.”

According to KCBD: “Cunningham's attorney, King, reiterated that Cunningham was cooperative during his arrest and had been easy to locate for years, since his information had been posted on Lakeside's website.”

Cunningham previously served Lakeside Baptist Church in Granbury, Texas; Turning Point Community Church in Lubbock; North Forth Worth Baptist Church in Fort Worth; and the now-defunct Agape Baptist Church in Fort Worth.

The saga began at the end of May When Lakeside Baptist Church in Granbury learned of allegations of sexual misconduct by Cunningham with minors at another church, the church also received complaints and reports from members of disturbing conduct. The church placed Cunningham on leave, launched an investigation, reported its findings to law enforcement, and then turned Cunningham over to its personnel committee, which fired him.

Cunningham is currently facing criminal charges in Lubbock County. However, BNG has independently verified the allegations of misconduct from the four churches through multiple sources, including government officials, who spoke on the record. Prosecutors also acknowledged the existence of a victim in Dallas County who claims she began being manipulated by Cunningham in 2013.

There were warning signs before Cunningham’s arrest, as BNG had previously reported the existence of reports to law enforcement, a state agency and the existence of a prior investigation by the Lubbock County District Attorney in 2021-22 that did not result in criminal charges. Prosecutors acknowledged the reality of the prior law enforcement reports and a district attorney investigation at the July 1 bail hearing.

Lakeside Baptist Church Press Release They said they believed Cunningham was a serial offender and churchgoer. They said, “If the Southern Baptist Convention had a functioning offender database, we probably would never have been exposed to Mr. Cunningham. We plan to do everything possible to encourage national leaders to exercise spiritual responsibility, identify perpetrators of these crimes in churches, and prevent this from happening again.”

Lakeside Baptist sources who spoke with BNG behind the scenes expressed dismay at the newly revealed details of Cunningham's past, including the fact that Cunningham had previously been exposed.

However, leaders at Turning Point Community Church have claimed they were unaware of Cunningham's alleged crimes and never received reports of allegations while he was on staff.

Turning Point also alleges that, At the time he was informed of the DA's investigation, he did not know that Cunningham had returned to local church ministry.

Lubbock NBC affiliate KCBD noted that Lakeside Baptist Church senior pastor Mark Forrest said Cunningham passed the church's criminal background check and that an executive pastor at Turning Point in Lubbock provided the church with a positive reference.

Turning Point disputes this version of events. In a statement sent to BNG and local Lubbock media on July 2, Turning Point communications director Abby Reed said, “We want to reiterate that at no time was our church contacted by Lakeside Baptist Church for a reference regarding Luke Cunningham. During yesterday’s bond hearing, it was reported that LBC spoke with a Turning Point executive pastor who gave Cunningham a favorable reference. However, we can confirm that no direct contact was made with Turning Point. While it is possible that Lakeside Baptist Church contacted a former executive pastor directly, this would have been without our knowledge or permission.”

When asked to comment Regarding Turning Point’s claim that it never provided a reference, Lakeside Baptist Church Senior Pastor Mark Forrest told BNG, “I would just say our hearts go out to the victims. We’re not going to get back at them. We’ve spoken to their former executive pastor. They’re just trying to shift the blame.”

Turning Point Community Church in Lubbock declined to comment for this story.

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