IOWA
Des Moines Register
Linh Ta , lta@dmreg.com March 21, 2017
A former Boone pastor was arrested after allegedly sexually exploiting a teenage girl at Grace Community Church and “grooming” her for several years, according to court documents.
Joel Waltz, 47, of Boone, was charged with sexual exploitation by counselor or therapist on March 13. He was booked into Story County Jail and posted bail on March 20.
According to court documents, Waltz and the victim first met at Grace Community Church while he was the youth pastor. The victim was 11 and in foster care at the time.
The victim told police that Waltz would pick her and her sister up from foster care and take them to lunch. She said he was “extremely nice” to her, and she began to trust and confide in him.
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