70-Year-Old Pastor Arrested for Committing Multiple Sex Crimes Against Minor Victims

A 70-year-old Kansas pastor with a decades-long career in ministry has been arrested and charged with multiple felony sex offences involving a minor in Linn County.

Wade Booth, pastor of First Baptist Church in Pleasanton, Kansas, was arrested on Monday, 31 August, and booked into the Linn County Jail at around 7pm, according to jail records. He made his first court appearance on Wednesday and is being held on a $750,000 (£580,000) bond.

According to court documents, Booth faces four felony charges: two counts of aggravated incest, one count of unlawful sexual relations involving a teacher and a student aged 16 or older, and one count of aggravated intimidation of a witness or victim under 18.

The allegations relate to conduct that prosecutors say occurred between 1 January and 31 July 2026 in Linn County.

Pastor Accused of Offences Involving Minor Relative

The most serious allegation accuses Booth of aggravated incest involving sexual intercourse with a child aged 16 or 17. The charging document alleges the victim was known to Booth as his biological, step or adoptive child.

That offence is classified as a severity level three felony under Kansas law. If convicted, Booth could face between 55 and 247 months in prison, as well as a fine of up to $300,000 (£232,000), according to court information cited by The Roys Report.

Another aggravated-incest charge alleges lewd fondling involving a relative aged between 16 and 17. Prosecutors have classified that offence as a severity level seven felony.

Booth is also accused of unlawful sexual relations involving a student aged 16 or older. The charging documents identify the school as 'Booth Homeschool' and allege that Booth had sexual intercourse with a student while acting as a teacher or another person in a position of authority.

The fourth charge alleges aggravated intimidation of a witness or victim younger than 18. Prosecutors claim Booth attempted to prevent or dissuade the alleged victim from participating in the case.

The charges remain allegations, and court records cited by The Roys Report do not indicate that Booth has entered a plea.

Some neighbours and townspeople couldn't believe the news.

'It's very concerning living so close. I have young children, and so it's just disturbing,' a neighbour said.

'There's a lot of good people that go to the church, and, you know, I just feel bad for everybody involved,' another one shared.

Decades-Long Ministry Career

The charges come after Booth spent decades working in churches across Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.

Booth graduated from Baptist Bible College in Springfield, Missouri, in 1981. He later became pastor of Calvary Bible Baptist Church in Harper, Kansas, where he served for 12 years. He then moved into missionary church planting in Oklahoma, where the church says he and his wife established two churches between 1997 and 2005.

In 2007, Booth moved to Pleasanton to become pastor of First Baptist Church, a position he has held for nearly two decades. The church's website continued to list him as pastor following his arrest.

First Baptist Church of Pleasanton has not immediately responded publicly to requests for comment about the allegations, according to local reports. Booth is due back in court on 15 September for a preliminary hearing.