CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. - A youth pastor from North Chesterfield was arrested and charged with several online sex crimes against children. Deric Wallace Peacock, 30, is charged with sexual solicitation of a minor by electronic means; requesting a minor to fondle her own sexual or genital parts; and three counts of exposing his sexual or genital parts to a minor.
All charges against Peacock are felonies.
Peacock was arrested as the result of an undercover investigation by the Christiansburg Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children unit, according to Christiansburg Public Relations Officer Becky Wilburn.
Wilburn said Peacock was never having a conversation with a child, rather he was communicating with undercover police officers.
He is being held without bond in the Montgomery County Jail. Peacock was listed as the Children's Youth and Discipleship Pastor at a church in Hopewell, according to a May snapshot of the church's website.
The website has since been taken down.
"We immediately suspended him, put him on Administrative Leave, pending investigation of those charges," said Pastor Thurman Collier. "He has since been dismissed."
"There has been no indication whatsoever, anything has happened here at the church," Collier added.
The website indicated Peacock began working at the church in January 2013. He and his wife have been foster parents since 2008, according to the website.
"Church Council hired Deric as a Youth Pastor and he's been super, he's been one great man for our youth," church member. Noel Bruce said.
"They had a blast, you know fun," said Kimberly Thorne, who children attended the church. "They gave stuff out all the time, offered them breakfast on mornings during Christmas Break and summer break."
This is a developing story.
