Child Porn Evidence Suppressed Against First Coast Pastor

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/topstories/news-article.aspx?storyid=70476

 

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- Fifty-nine-year-old Eric Young was pastor of Ft. Caroline United Methodist Church for about a year.

Hewas arrested last July when investigators say they found childpornography on his office computer. The title of the video was"three-year-old gets raped."

Other adult sites were alsodiscovered. Now a judge has issued an order granting a motion tosuppress saying the evidence was taken during an unlawful search andseizure. Officers had consent from the church but no search warrant.The order says the pastor had a reasonable expectation of privacy thatwas violated.

Since day one Young said he had no idea how the child porn got there.

"The pastor didn't put it there and had no knowledge of it," says Young's Attorney Curtis Fallgatter.

Fallgatter says he was expecting the judge's order of suppression but was shocked by the State's actions.

"I'msurprised they filed the appeal. I thought they would honor the judge'sorder and the case would be over. Respectfully I think it's a waste ofthe taxpayer's money that they are taking an appeal. They should justhonor the judge's order," says Fallgatter.

The order also says the church "did not have any policies or procedures regarding the internet."

TheState Attorney's Office told First Coast News an appeal has been filed.The argument in question is if the ownership of property determineswhat a person's rights are. Fallgatter disagrees.

"The lawdoesn't hinge on who owns the computer the question is who had theexpectation of privacy in his private office and he did," saysFallgatter.


Young was let go from Ft. Caroline UnitedMethodist Church last year during the initial investigation. He firstjoined the ministry in 1976 as a deacon.

Young's attorney says his client still works with various pastors outside the church.