Following months of demonstrations against Pastor John Blanchard of Virginia Beach's Rock Church, who is currently charged with pursuing sex with a minor, Jamie Thomas, 43, was detained on Sunday. According to The Virginian-Pilot, Thomas was detained outside the church on misdemeanor charges of stalking and exposing sealed police records.
Thomas has been speaking out against the purported pastor Blanchard for several months, and he just posted a video of him, his wife, and their son demonstrating in front of the church on YouTube. Three police officers arrived and detained Thomas not long after he used a megaphone to call Blanchard a "pedophile" in the video.
Controversial Megachurch Pastor's Arrest Reignites Debate on Accountability and Justice Amid Sexual Misconduct Allegations
According to the Christian Post, Thomas was caught and been detained and he was taken before a magistrate. There, he has been given his recognizance. The incident raises awareness of the ongoing scandal involving the pastor of a megachurch who is under fire and is accused of engaging in inappropriate sexual activity with a minor.
According to another source, an article shared in Yahoo! News, the debate surrounding Jamie Thomas' arrest is centered on John David Blanchard, the 52-year-old main pastor of Rock Church. After getting involved in a local child prostitution probe last year, Blanchard temporarily left his pastoral responsibilities.
Blanchard was detained in October 2021 for reportedly traveling to a motel to meet a 17-year-old sex worker who turned out to be an undercover police officer. He was then accused of using a vehicle to promote prostitution and felony soliciting prostitution.
Blanchard is married and has two children. After posting a $20,000 bond, he was released. In the court documents that have been released, he had a gross of his living for about $30,000 per month while traveling up and down the country's east coast. People like Thomas have been protesting continuously in response to Blanchard's arrest and allegations to call for accountability for the megachurch leader under fire.
Pastor John David Blanchard was one of 17 males detained by Chesterfield County police in October 2021 as part of a sting operation for soliciting sex with a minor. Virginian-Pilot shared that each of the men who was detained and charged after making arrangements to meet the undercover police officer, who was posing as a 17-year-old prostitute, at a motel.
The prosecutors initially dropped charges against Blanchard and another man, but most of the individuals were subject to full prosecution. But Stacey Davenport, the Commonwealth's Attorney for Chesterfield County, declared earlier this year that fresh evidence had been gathered against Blanchard. She then forwarded the matter to a Brunswick County special prosecutor.
The special prosecutor just received until June 7 to decide whether to bring an indictment against the pastor of Rock Church. The issue continues receiving much attention and inspiring local rallies calling for justice and accountability.
Protester Jamie Thomas Vows to Continue Nonviolent Demonstrations Despite Arrest
According to the Daily Beast, Jamie Thomas maintains that his demonstrations have always been nonviolent and that he has never entered the church's grounds without permission. He remembers seeing Pastor John Blanchard leaving the church and getting into a car. Thomas asserts that he spoke "Run, run, run" during the meeting.
Thomas was apprehended on Sunday and he has been released without having bail. He is then summoned to appear in court on May 23. Despite the legal status, Thomas intends to remain in protest outside the Rock Church the next Sunday. Thomas is nevertheless determined to bring attention to Blanchard's situation and demand responsibility for the pastor under fire, saying in a statement to the media, "Yesterday, I told my wife, "You know what? I have no fear. I'm not afraid."
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