Youth Pastor, Evangelist Acton Bowen Arrested On Sodomy Charges

HOOVER, AL - A renown youth pastor and Alabama evangelist has been arrested by the Hoover Police Department on charges of sodomy, enticing a child to enter a vehicle or house for immoral purposes, and second-degree sex abuse. Paul Edward Acton Bowen, founder of Acton Bowen Outreach Ministries, was taken into custody in Pelham Tuesday and transported to the Hoover City Jail. He will be moved to the Jefferson County Jail where he will be held on $90,300 bond.

According to a statement by the Hoover Police Department, was a male between the age of 12 and 16, and is a family acquaintance. The investigation into Bowen began three weeks ago by the Hoover Police Department's Special Victims Unit.

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"The victim in this case is an underage family acquaintance and he is currently doing well and has been in a safe environment since police were first notified," the Hoover PD release said. "No further details will be released concerning this case due to its sensitive nature and the age of the victim."

The charges are as follows:

Sodomy in the second degree:
A person commits the crime of sodomy in the second degree if hee, being 16 years or older, engages in deviate sexual intercourse with another person less than 16 and more than 12 years old.

Enticing child to enter vehicle, house, etc., for immoral purposes:
It shall be unlawful for any person with lascivious intent to entice, allure, persuade, or invite any child under 16 years of age to enter any vehicle, room, house, office, or other place for the purpose of proposing to such child the performance of an act of sexual intercourse or an act which constitutes the offense of sodomy…..

Sexual abuse in the second degree:
A person commits the crime of sexual abuse in the second degree if he, being 19 years or older, subjects another person to sexual contact who is less than 16 years old, but more than 12 years old.

A resident of Etowah County, Bowen served as a chaplain in the Summer Olympic Games in London and is the author of "Escape the Noise," which reached the New York Times Best Sellers List and the Amazon Top 100 list.

Photo from Hoover PD

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