A Philadelphia pastor pleaded guilty this week in federal court to charges stemming from an alleged conspiracy with another pastor to create and share child pornography, U.S. Attorney David Metcalf said.
Bryan Jackson, 42, pleaded guilty Wednesday to conspiracy to manufacture child pornography, manufacture and attempted manufacture of child pornography, and receipt of child pornography, Metcalf said Thursday.
Jackson is scheduled to be sentenced next February, Metcalf said.
In June, Jackson, pastor at Garden of Prayer World’s Prayer Center in Strawberry Mansion, and Isaiah Banks, pastor of Second Pilgrim Baptist Church in Francisville, were charged by the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office with allegedly grooming and sexually exploiting two teenage boys.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office soon took over the case.
Robert C. Keller, Jackson’s lawyer, said his client is “quite remorseful for his conduct” and “takes full responsibility.”
Jackson is still a member of the church, but took a leave of absence from his official role as pastor, Keller said.
A representative for the Garden of Prayer World’s Prayer Center could not be reached for comment.
The federal case against Banks is still pending. His federal defender could not be reached for comment.
According to the plea memorandum filed this week by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the investigation first began in April when the Philadelphia Department of Human Services informed Philadelphia police that a 15-year-old was allegedly solicited by Banks to send masturbation videos.
Banks allegedly told the teen that older girls would be willing to pay for the videos. The teen told investigators that he sent sexually explicit material to a phone number he believed was for an older girl.
Banks and Jackson allegedly conspired to share the photos and videos with each other.
Authorities seized Jackson’s iPhone and found he had two cellular lines on the phone, which he used to receive and send child pornography, the memorandum said. On Banks’ phone, which also was seized, Jackson’s second line was labeled “Bryan 2.”
“Both of Jackson’s phone lines are paid/registered to the church, Garden of Prayer World Prayer Center, where he worked as a pastor,” the memo said.
On June 19, Jackson was arrested by Philadelphia police. During an interview with detectives, Jackson admitted to receiving child pornography from the teen boy using his second phone line, the plea memo said.
Jackson told detectives that he shared the images and videos with Banks. Jackson also admitted to receiving videos from a second teen, the memo said.