Photo courtesy of District Attorney Matthew Stowe
CAMDEN, Tenn. – The Office of the District Attorney General announced Tuesday an arrest has been made in a child sexual abuse case. Joshua Burton Henley (32), currently from Newburg, Indiana, where he was serving as a youth pastor, according to several news outlets, and formerly of Holladay, TN has been arrested on one count of Aggravated Sexual Battery, and three counts of Statutory Rape by an Authority Figure. He was booked into Benton Co. Jail on June 18, 2021.
“This arrest is the result of an extensive ongoing investigation through the coordination of several agencies,” stated District Attorney Matthew F. Stowe in a Facebook post Tuesday. “I am very pleased with the team effort of all parties. This case typifies the issues that law enforcement face in dealing with sexual crimes involving minors, which have increased in the wake of the imposed COVID isolation.”
Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Benton County Sheriff’s Department, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and the District Attorney’s Office have worked closely together in gathering information and evidence in this case. According to authorities the case involves multiple victims ranging in age from 12 to 16 years of age and, so far, jurisdiction involves three states.
Henley is currently employed as a youth minister at Washington Avenue Church of Christ in Evansville, Indiana. Formerly, Henley held the position of pastor at Holladay Community Church and was an unpaid volunteer girls basketball coach at Holladay Primary School in Holladay, Tennessee.
“My team has always taken great care in prosecuting child sexual abuse cases, and we are proud of our District-wide 100% conviction rate in child-related rapes during my tenure as District Attorney,” Stowe continues. “Past experience with these types of cases helps guide any investigation toward a successful prosecution. Everyone is working hard.”
Henley is currently being held at the Benton County Jail on a $500,000 bond and will be arraigned tomorrow morning. He is represented by attorney Jack Leonard of Camden, TN, who has filed a motion to reduce bond on Mr. Henley’s behalf.
Law enforcement believes there may be additional victims who have not yet been identified. Anyone who may have any additional information concerning this case is urged to contact investigators at the Benton County Sheriff’s Department at 731-584-4632.