Youth minister arrested for soliciting sex from minor

COCOA, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - A Brevard County youth minister, who is charged with soliciting sex from a minor, was arrested on Thursday. Rockledge Police took 36-year-old Jermel Manns into custody after officers said he sent a teenager a text message asking for sex.

Pastor Errol Beckford, of Celebration Tabernacle Church in Cocoa, met with FOX 35 on Friday to discuss the actions and arrest of his youth pastor, who is also his nephew.

Pastor Beckford claims he had no idea about his nephew’s history. “He worked in the school system, he went to bible college, he was squeaky clean,” said Beckford.

Rockledge police said Manns sent the text message to 16-year-old boy. Manns is also a registered sex offender in Illinois, arrested and convicted of sexually abusing a teen a few years back.

So why no criminal background check? “There was no hint, no reason for us to do it, and he was a family member,” said Beckford, “and if you interview my family they’ll tell you this is the first they’re hearing it.”

Jermel Manns used the Beckford family name during the two-years he worked as a youth pastor at Celebration Tabernacle Church. On Thursday, the pastor delivered a letter to parents, explaining the arrest and apologizing for not running a background check on his nephew.

Jermel Manns is currently in the Brevard County Jail .