Fayette County church ex-youth worker charged with molesting boys

By David Markiewicz
Atlanta Journal-Consitution
September 22, 2015

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/crime-law/fayette-county-church-ex-youth-worker-charged-with/nnkpW/

Matthew Young

A former volunteer youth ministry worker at a Fayette County church has been charged with child molestation and sexual battery against a child under 16 in a case involving two teenage boys.

Matthew Bradley Young, 46, of Norcross, was arrested Sept. 18 after an investigation into complaints made by parents of the two boys, according to incident reports filed by the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office.Young is in Fayette County Jail.

According to the reports, the parents had contacted the pastor and other leaders at the church and told them they believed their sons had been molested at a church planned function on May 9. The sheriff’s office asked that the church not be identified publicly because the investigation is ongoing.

Officers said in the reports that the parents described contact between Young and the boys via text messages, Facebook, email and cell phones as well as during a youth trip to North Carolina and during various meals. The juveniles were told by Young to delete all text messages immediately, the reports said.

Other details in the reports were redacted, and Fayette County sheriff’s spokesman Allen Stevens said in an email, “This case is active so no other details will be given.”

The church, in a press release, said that leaders learned of the incidents on Sept. 11 and “… we immediately contacted local law enforcement. We are deeply grieved by this situation. Our number one concern right now is to care for those who have been impacted by this.”