CAMDEN, TN (WSMV) - A former Benton County youth minister and girls basketball coach has been arrested on child sexual abuse case, according to District Attorney Matthew Stowe.
Joshua Burton Henley, currently a resident of Newburg, IN, and formerly of Holladay, TN, was charged with aggravated sexual battery and three counts of statutory rape by an authority figure. He was booked into the Benton County Jail on Friday.
“This arrest is the result of an extensive ongoing investigation through the coordination of several agencies,” Stowe said in a news release. “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.”
Henley is currently a youth minister at Washington Avenue Church of Christ in Evansville, IN. He was previously pastor at Holladay Community Church and was an unpaid volunteer girls basketball coach at Holladay Primary School in Holladay.
“We have been advised by the Benton County Sheriff’s Department that this is an ongoing investigation,” Benton County Director of Schools Mark Florence said in a statement to News4 when asked for a timeline of when Henley served as a coach the school.
“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 said. “Past experience with these types of cases helps guide any investigation toward a successful prosecution. Everyone is working hard.”
Henley is being held on a $500,000 bond and will be arraigned on Wednesday morning. According to Stowe, 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 the Benton County Sheriff’s Department at 731-584-4632.
