Honk News (Jackson, TN) – Ryan McElrath, who previously served as a youth pastor at Fellowship Bible Church in Jackson, entered a guilty plea to charges of sexual offenses involving a minor in court.
In a session held at the U.S. District Court for the Western Division of Tennessee, McElrath, 40, was presented by the U.S. Marshals Service and entered a plea agreement regarding Count 1 of his indictment, which includes charges of Statutory Rape by an Authority Figure, Sexual Battery by an Authority Figure, and Aggravated Statutory Rape.
The plea deal outlines that he is subject to a minimum prison term of 10 years and a potential maximum of life imprisonment, along with a possible fine of $250,000, and a period of supervised release ranging from five years to life.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 9.
By entering a guilty plea, McElrath relinquishes his entitlement to a jury trial and forfeits his ability to pursue a direct appeal or challenge his conviction in any other manner. Judge Thomas Anderson acknowledged that while there might be certain exceptions permitting McElrath to seek an appeal in a higher court, the chances of it being upheld were slim.
McElrath must register as a sex offender at any place he lives, works, or studies.
He faced charges related to offenses committed from April 12 to June 10, 2024.
On June 11, 2024, a father reported an assault involving his teenage daughter, identified in court documents as “Minor A,” to the Jackson Police Department, as stated in the state warrant.
The document indicates that McElrath met with the minor on May 31, 2024, “in the high school area” of Fellowship Bible Church for about 30 minutes, during which he reportedly participated in several sexual activities with her.
McElrath, who had known the victim since she was 14, referred to her in his statement as someone who was “part of the family.”
Morrow highlighted that throughout a span of three years, McElrath and the victim communicated through over 39,000 text messages, a significant number of which contained sexually explicit content, detailing arrangements and various venues for sexual encounters.
Prior to accepting his guilty plea, Anderson requested McElrath to confirm or refute whether he intentionally persuaded, induced, enticed, or coerced the victim into sexual activity while being aware of her underage status.