Pastor used church Wi-Fi to upload child sex abuse content, Tennessee cops say

A Tennessee pastor is facing charges after he was accused of using his church’s Wi-Fi to upload illegal images, deputies said.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a CyberTip saying a local church’s Wi-Fi was being used to upload “child sex abuse material,” according to an April 18 news release from the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies of the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force began to investigate the tip and traced it to a church where 50-year-old Daryl Hayes was lead pastor, deputies said.

The task force executed a search warrant at the church and at Hayes’ home, deputies said, and found that Hayes was using the church’s internet connection to upload the material.

“Neither Hayes family, nor the church, were aware of Hayes’ activities,” according to the news release.

Deputies said the church cooperated fully with investigators, and Hayes was fired immediately.

Hayes was the lead pastor at Berry’s Chapel Church of Christ in Franklin, Tennessee, Kenneth Young, a spokesperson for the church, confirmed to McClatchy News.

The church was made aware of the investigation into Hayes in December, Young told McClatchy News, and terminated Hayes once they were made aware.

“While we are not aware of any harm to any families affiliated with Berry’s Chapel Church of Christ, the Church condemns sexual immorality of any kind and especially holds its leaders to a high standard of accountability for their actions, especially those actions that may adversely affect children,” Young said.

Hayes was charged with six counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, according to the news release.

Deputies do not believe local children were victims.

Williamson County is just south of Davidson County, where Nashville is the county seat.

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