Spokane7
49°
January 5, 2010
Ex-Post Falls church youth leader arrested
Charged with having sex with underage girls
Jordan Vernon, 20, is accused of having sex with at least two girls ages 14 and 17, and having inappropriate contact with at least two others ages 12 and 14 while serving as a youth leader in training at Real Life Ministries in Post Falls from 2007 to 2009.
(Full-size photo)
A former Post Falls church youth leader was arrested last week on suspicion he had sexual and inappropriate contact with several minor girls from the congregation.
Another man was also arrested for allegedly trying to intimidate a witness in the case, said Post Falls police detective Sgt. Dave Beck.
Jordan Vernon, 20, is accused of having sex with at least two girls, ages 14 and 17, and having inappropriate contact with at least two others, ages 12 and 14, while serving as a youth leader in training at Real Life Ministries in Post Falls from 2007 to 2009.
Vernon was arrested Dec. 28 on charges of sexual battery of a minor child under the age of 16, lewd conduct with a minor child under the age of 16, and statutory rape for having sexual intercourse with a child under 18, among other charges, police said.
According to authorities, Vernon has a history of grooming young girls at the church, beginning in December 2007, when he was investigated for inappropriately touching a 12-year-old girl during church services and sending inappropriate text messages to a 14-year-old church member.
Vernon allegedly pressed the 12-year-old “to sneak out of the house,” to be with him, Beck said. Vernon was charged with a misdemeanor in that case, which was later dismissed, Beck said.
In September 2009, a church youth pastor contacted authorities about additional cases of inappropriate conduct involving Vernon.
He is alleged to have had sex with a 14-year-old church member in December 2007, Beck said. At the time Vernon was 18 or 19 years old and was a student leader in training at the church.
Beck said Vernon would give the girl rides to church, and that the pair once had sex in his car. Vernon took photos of the girl performing oral sex on him and posted the photos on a MySpace page under the pseudonym “Frank,” Beck said.
Another victim, a church member who is now 17, also allegedly had sex with Vernon in the summer of 2009. He had known the girl since she was 14 but did not become sexually active with her until she was 17, Beck said. The age of consent in Idaho is 18.
“I’m concerned there might be more victims,” Beck said. “His behavior is what I would call predatory in nature.”
Vernon posted $25,000 bond after being booked into the Kootenai County Jail last week, Beck said.
Luke Denman, 28, a relative of Vernon, was also arrested for intimidating a witness. Denman allegedly went to the church after learning authorities planned to arrest Vernon and threatened a church member, Beck said.
Past and present 
spokelooneh on January 05 at 11:27 p.m.
Unless the evidence in the 2007 incidents were found to be COMPLETELY baseless, the RLM cult should have kicked this guy to curb then. They didn’t, they left him in place to go on to abuse even more children.
If this guy is convicted, he better well be punished to the FULLEST extent of the law.
The “church” should be ashamed. But what do they care, as long as the massive cash keeps coming in.
AXe on January 06 at 12:17 a.m.
Practicing to join the priesthood?
oetaug on January 06 at 5:31 a.m.
I agree AXe this guy should really be joining the Catholic church. RLM are fools for letting this go on for so long. I believe this animal went to Post Falls High the same time i did, and back then you could just look at this guy and know there is something mentally ill about him.
Auggurt on January 06 at 3:50 p.m.
Thats actually not true. He hasn’t been in any leadership position since early 2008 when he was asked to leave the ministry because of his behavior. He hasn’t attended real life ministries since november of 2008. The church is pushing for the prosecution and it’s actually the church members that are holding him accountable for what he’s done.
TekShepherd on January 06 at 6:11 p.m.
Folks. This story is inaccurate and incomplete. RLM staff or membership is not in the habit of giving predators a pass or jeopardizing the safety of our Children.
Volunteers at Real Life turned this fellow in.
He was a co-facilitator volunteer for a boys group in 2007-
In July 2008 the staff at the church found out he had been texting an underaged girl and immediately removed him from all volunteer positions at the church ( On July 29th, 2008)
The last time he filled out an attendance card for coming to service was November 30th, 2008.
In April of 2009, Volunteers in the Youth ministry and the security team at the church learned of a website that indicated inappropriate conduct before this fellow and a young girl- they investigated, confirmed it was him, and took the evidence to Post FAlls PD.
After a lengthy investigation by the police he was charged and arrested.
No alleged attacks occurred on Church property. All youth staff members and volunteers undergo background checks of their Adult records, and nothing in his history would have precluded him serving.
We ask for your prayers for courage and strength for all involved in this in this incident.
Any questions or comments, feel free to goto the church website for the full body of this information.
http://www.reallifeministries.com/new_web_site
God Bless-
Tekshep
KW on January 18 at 12:16 a.m.
Maybe the girl who was raped didnt come forward in 2007. Ever think about that? Maybe like most rape cases she hid it. Because I know for a fact that he would’ve been in jail a lonnnnggg time ago if she came forward then.
And I personally don’t think this was real life’s fault because they didn’t know this was going on.