Former pastor indicted charges sex crimes against juvenile

A former pastor at a Long Beach church has been indicted on sex crime charges.

A Harrison County jury indicted 53-year-old John Jones on two counts of sexual battery and one count of touching a child for lustful purposes.

Jones was a pastor at First Baptist Church in Long Beach.

The female victim was under the age of 14.

Long Beach Police Chief Billy Seal said the investigation began in November 2022 after the victim’s family, which were part of the congregation at the church, came forward. Jones left the church shortly after the investigation began.

The indictment was handed down June 3, 2024. He was arrested June 15, 2024.

The first incident of alleged sexual battery took place between May 1, 2021 and February 14, 2022.

The second incident of alleged sexual battery allegedly took place between February 15, 2022 and September 30, 2022.

The third incident of alleged touching a child for lustful purposes took place between May 1, 2021 and September 30, 2022.