Daniel Menelaou, a 28-year-old youth pastor formerly associated with Adelaide’s Futures Church, has been arrested in Georgia, USA, on charges related to child exploitation material.
According to The Advertiser, the Roswell Police Department apprehended Menelaou following a tip-off from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, alleging his involvement in sharing illicit content via the messaging app Kik.
Authorities have charged Menelaou with six counts of possessing material depicting minors in sexually explicit conduct.
The arrest followed investigations by the Roswell Police and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, during which several electronic devices were seized for analysis.
Menelaou reportedly admitted to receiving and sharing the explicit videos and acknowledged a pornography addiction.
Prior to his relocation to the United States, Menelaou served as a youth pastor at Paradise Church in Adelaide from 2018. In the US, he was affiliated with Future Church in Alpharetta, Georgia. Both institutions have expressed shock and condemnation regarding the allegations.
Future Church has terminated Menelaou’s position, stating the charges are “abhorrent, appalling, and completely contrary to everything we stand for,” and has pledged support for his wife during this challenging time.
Source: The Advertiser
