Jeff Taylor in an undated photo (Courtesy of U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio court documents)
ATLANTA - A former Atlanta youth minister faces federal child exploitation charges after allegedly abusing and grooming minors across nearly two decades, federal authorities announced.
What we know:
Jeffrey Turner Taylor, 66, was arrested in Ohio and made his initial court appearance following a federal indictment.
Court documents show Taylor served at two churches in Atlanta, where investigators say he groomed and sexually abused a boy in his ministry in the early 2000s.
Federal prosecutors state Taylor's alleged abuse spanned from at least 1990 to 2008, including time spent at The Falls Church in Northern Virginia.
Investigators said his actions included sexual horseplay, intrusive questions about children's sexual secrets and taking boys out of state or country under the guise of ministry events.
What we don't know:
Authorities have not confirmed the specific names of the two Atlanta churches where Taylor served.
It remains unclear how many total victims may have been impacted during the 18-year period.
What's next:
Taylor is scheduled for arraignment in the Eastern District of Virginia on Sept. 24.
If convicted on charges of enticement of minors and traveling to engage in illegal sexual activity, he faces up to 105 years in prison.
What you can do:
Anyone with additional information or potential victims are urged to contact the FBI Washington Field Office.
To submit information, click here.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from official court documents and a press release provided by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, featuring announcements from First Assistant U.S. Attorney Theophani K. Stamos and FBI Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey L. Tyler.