| Wesley Ryan Blackburn |
A pastor was arrested on a charge of sexual assault after telling his wife that he is in love with a 15-year-old girl and is having a child with her, according to police in Pennsylvania.
New Paris police said that they have arrested 35-year-old Wesley Ryan Blackburn, after being accused of having sex with the 15-year-old girl hundreds of times.
Blackburn was charged with 84 counts of statutory sexual assault, 84 counts of indecent assault and 1 count of corruption of minors.
He was booked into the Bedford County Jail, and his bail has been set at $200,000. According to the police investigation, Blackburn was a youth pastor at the Faith Brethren Bible Church.
On Wednesday night, Blackburn revealed his relationship with the girl to his wife. He told his wife that he no longer loves her and asked for a divorce.
She had refused to sign the divorce papers and notified her pastor.
Pastor James Espenshade confronted Blackburn, and he admitted to having a relationship with the girl, and that the girl was pregnant.
Espenshade immediately fired Blackburn, and he called the police. Blackburn told police that he met the girl 7 years ago, and he grew close to her 2 years ago.
Blackburn said he and the girl developed a physical relationship 6 months ago. When police notified Blackburn that the girl was pregnant, he acknowledged that he was the father of the child.