Youth Pastor Extradited From Texas To OC For Alleged Molestation Of Teen Girl
SANTA ANA (CBS) — A former San Clemente youth pastor charged with molesting an underage female parishioner was extradited from Texas and brought back to an Orange County jail Wednesday evening, a sheriff's spokesman said.
Joe David Nelms, 47, was a youth pastor at Pacific Coast Church in San Clemente in 1993 when he met the girl who was then 14.
She reported the alleged molestation in March, according to the Orange County District Attorney's Office.
Nelms was arrested March 18 in Lindale, Texas.
Nelms was placed in an O.C. jail about 6 p.m. and was being held on $200,000 bail, according to Jim Amormino of the Orange County Sheriff's Department.
An arraignment date has not been set.
Nelms allegedly molested the girl from 1993-96, Amormino said.
The alleged victim told authorities last month that Nelms molested her in the church office, while driving around San Clemente and in his home in San Clemente, Amormino said.
Nelms worked as a youth pastor at the church from 1990 to 2000.
In Texas, he was a volunteer Bible study teacher at First Baptist Church in Lindale, Texas, and a counselor for high school students at Sky Ranch, a Christian camp and ministry, according to prosecutors.
Investigators are concerned there may be additional victims and asked anyone with information to call (866) TIP-OCSD, Amormino said.
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