Church Pastor Arrested for Lewd Assault of a Child

VERNON,TX – A Vernon, TX pastor has been arrested after allegedly sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl, grooming her, and giving her methamphetamine.

Brian Keith Pounds, 45, has been arrested for sexual assault of a child. Pounds is a pastor at Vernon’s First Assembly of God Church and a chaplain at the Tyson Food plant.

According to the affidavit, the victim’s mother notified law enforcement that she was trying to locate the victim at a motel on U.S. 287. When an officer arrived, Pounds was at the motel and told the officer he was trying to get a room for someone in need. The name Pounds use to rented the room was the "First Assembly of God Church".

The victim was found at a Wal-Mart just north of the motel by her mother who then took the victim to the police station. There, the victim told police that she and Pounds had been having sex for about a month after Pounds had counseled her family.

The victim was given an exam at a local hospital and was admitted for complications from methamphetamine.

A follow-up interview was conducted of the victim and told officers that Pounds had gotten her a cleaning job and offered her counseling at the church.

That was when Pounds started to offer her meth.

The victim also gave details about the sexual assault that took place in which she claimed Pounds gave her meth, sexually assaulted her and put his hand around her neck and choked her.

Pounds is currently being held in a Wichita County jail on a $200,000.00 bond.