this post was submitted on 22 Oct 2025
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Jon Paul Sheptock, 49, served as the worship minister at the First Montgomery Baptist Church in Texas before these shocking allegations came to light.

The Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Unit eventually caught up with the suspect while he was working at a local women’s prison where he served as a minister.

At a Donald Trump rally in January 2022, Sheptock was recruited to sing the national anthem before later posing with the president and his son for pictures.

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[–] spaghettiwestern@sh.itjust.works 140 points 5 days ago (3 children)

Release the Epstein files.

[–] henfredemars@infosec.pub 15 points 5 days ago

Release the -philes you say?

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[–] aeternum@lemmy.blahaj.zone 45 points 5 days ago (1 children)

always the ones you most suspect.

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[–] ThePantser@sh.itjust.works 66 points 5 days ago

Add this to the other pile of Trump posing with fellow pedophile images.

[–] Jaysyn@lemmy.world 51 points 5 days ago (2 children)
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[–] JoMiran@lemmy.ml 60 points 5 days ago
[–] tanisnikana@lemmy.world 56 points 5 days ago

It’s always the ones I most suspect.

[–] mavu@discuss.tchncs.de 38 points 5 days ago (2 children)

What is it with those people?

Is there some kind of competition to be the most terrible person possible?

[–] eugenevdebs@lemmy.dbzer0.com 19 points 5 days ago

Yes. That's the entire point of MAGA.

[–] kewjo@lemmy.world 8 points 5 days ago (1 children)

i would guess a lot of them make connections over the networks that trade in that kind of material.

[–] zarniwoop@lemmy.dbzer0.com 10 points 5 days ago

Yep. It’s called “church”.

[–] Doomsider@lemmy.world 29 points 5 days ago (2 children)

Why are all the straight male Christian conservatives trying to fuck children!? WTF is wrong with them.

[–] chronicledmonocle@lemmy.world 27 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (6 children)

As someone who was forced to grow up in this Baptist bullshit: It's the absolutely insane level of sexual repression. Sex is a bad word. Don't talk about it. Can't even go dancing, if you're Baptist, because it "might lead to sinful contact between dancers" or "impure thoughts".

Can't drink either. You might "cause your brother to stumble". It's a running joke that Baptists go to bars in the next town over, because nobody knows them there, so they won't be judged.

Can't go to anything worse than a PG movie. Can't learn in school about evolution. Can't go to sex Ed class in school and have to be opted out. Can't be friends with non-Christians because "they're able to be influenced against you by the devil at any time" like they're a Devil Manchurian Candidate.

Christianity in America fucking sucks, but Baptists are near the top of being the fucking worst.

[–] Doomsider@lemmy.world 20 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I have studied religions my whole life trying to understand what is really going on. I have always been open minded, but my conclusion is simply it is about control.

My father was a black sheep Mormon so I am very familiar with the pitfalls of their beliefs. On my grandfather's death bed his sons gathered round him to pray. He pointed at my father and said he was not worthy to pray over him. Othering is always an integral part of Christianity.

The worst thing about religion is it steals the work of man to use for its goals. How many people thank God for surviving cancer when it was their fellow man that cured them. Religion is also insidious because it takes credit for morality when it clearly exists without it.

It reminds me of any loser ideology that tries to claim it does things when it has no real power and claims credit when it is not due. Everyone arguing over what Skydaddy is the best imaginary companion is beyond ridiculous.

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[–] ohlaph@lemmy.world 21 points 4 days ago (2 children)

I sense a theme with the GOP. Church leaders getting caught raping, youth pastor pedophiles, famous figures and their vast cp collections.

Is the entire gop just a group of pedophiles in a trench coat?

[–] 4am@lemmy.zip 4 points 4 days ago

Always has been 🔫👨‍🚀

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[–] aesthelete@lemmy.world 19 points 4 days ago

G eriatrics

O ligarchs

P edophiles

[–] Corporal_Punishment@feddit.uk 10 points 4 days ago (1 children)
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[–] Eldritch@piefed.world 36 points 5 days ago

Won't somebody think of the children? Eew, not like that!

[–] tired_n_bored@lemmy.world 10 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

Oh look another dangerous transgender woman! No wait, it's always either some Pastor or some Trump-affiliated person.

[–] Dionysus@leminal.space 31 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (4 children)

This is the episode of "Where are they now?" That we needed.

[–] panda_abyss@lemmy.ca 11 points 5 days ago (3 children)
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[–] Spacehooks@reddthat.com 22 points 5 days ago (1 children)

After the defendant (Sheptock) sent the image of the victim, he told her that he wanted more explicit images of her,” the affidavit read.

“The defendant (Sheptock) then sent her a video depicting someone being physically assaulted, accompanied by a statement implying that he did not want that to happen to her.”

Dude is mega POS

[–] Railing5132@lemmy.world 17 points 5 days ago (1 children)
[–] RidgeDweller@sh.itjust.works 9 points 5 days ago

theyrethesamepicture.gif

[–] Formfiller@lemmy.world 21 points 5 days ago

That’s on brand

[–] Corkyskog@sh.itjust.works 25 points 5 days ago

Say it with me now

Grand. Old. Pedophiles.

[–] HugeNerd@lemmy.ca 18 points 5 days ago

All religions are a mental illness, and often come with comorbidities.

[–] floofloof@lemmy.ca 25 points 5 days ago (1 children)

So which government department will he be given after the pardon?

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[–] BMW_stick@lemmy.world 20 points 5 days ago (2 children)

I'm sure this was Biden's fault.

[–] Imgonnatrythis@sh.itjust.works 20 points 5 days ago (1 children)

I'll never forgive Biden for the time he shit in my pants. This guy should be outraged.

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[–] MourningDove@lemmy.zip 9 points 5 days ago

Nope. Goes all the way back to Obama’s fist-bumping mustard-colored suit

[–] Gerudo@lemmy.zip 21 points 5 days ago

Yet again, not a drag queen. Color me shocked!

[–] ThePantser@sh.itjust.works 22 points 5 days ago
[–] PP_BOY_@lemmy.world 21 points 5 days ago
[–] BigMacHole@sopuli.xyz 19 points 5 days ago

Why would the Party of Protecting Jeffrey Epstein and having Unidentified Masked Armed Men KIDNAPPING Children be full of Pedophiles? It DOESNT make Sense!

[–] z3rOR0ne@lemmy.ml 16 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (1 children)

If you're a White Republican/MAGA/Christian Male, I'm just going to assume you're a pedophile now. The probabilities are just too high.

Release The Epstein Files...oh, and, y'know, actually DO something about it afterwards....

EDIT: spelling

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[–] SpiceDealer@lemmy.dbzer0.com 11 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (1 children)

His alleged victim also claimed in the court records that she was concerned about coming forward “due to her parents’ strong religious beliefs,” which she thought would lead to an adverse reaction to her taking a nude picture of herself.

This is how predators keep their victims silent: exploit their embarrassment. It's easy to say "Well, they shouldn't have sent that in the first place" but that's blaming the victim and not addressing the issue. A minor was taken advantage of and an adult received satisfaction from it. If this happened to you or someone you know, speak out. Take the power away from the predators. The embarrassment is only temporary because, in the end, it's your well-being that matters.

[–] Zak@lemmy.world 6 points 4 days ago

It’s easy to say “Well, they shouldn’t have sent that in the first place”

The fact that kids don't make good decisions when placed in adult situations is exactly why we have laws to punish adults who exploit them.

[–] TrickDacy@lemmy.world 13 points 5 days ago (2 children)

It's truly remarkable how about once a week we see a headline like this regarding a conservative. For left leaning people it's more like once every 3-6 months.

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[–] slickgoat@lemmy.world 11 points 5 days ago (2 children)

Of course it is. CP is a mandatory line item for a typical MAGA resume.

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[–] AllNewTypeFace@leminal.space 12 points 5 days ago

The writers need to get some new material. They’re starting to repeat themselves.

[–] xpey@piefed.social 12 points 5 days ago

Big surprise. /s

[–] st33lb0ne@lemmy.world 4 points 4 days ago

That seems on brand for MAGA

[–] NABDad@lemmy.world 9 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (1 children)

It might be easier at this point to list the Republicans who aren't pedophiles and sexual predators.

Edit:

There.

I think that's all of them.

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[–] rockettaco37@lemmy.world 10 points 5 days ago

Another Republican pedophile? Color me fuckin shocked, eh?

[–] beejboytyson@lemmy.world 7 points 5 days ago

The repedocan party

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