Brantford police have arrested a local minister with several charges, including sexual exploitation relating to a 17-year-old girl.
On August 30, Brantford police say they received information that a 17-year-old girl was getting sexually explicit text messages from a family friend.
“A mother intercepted some text messages to her 17-year-old daughter. These were explicit text messages with photos, and it turned out that the messages were linked to the minister of their local church,” said Inspector Dave Wiedrick with the Brantford police.
Police say further investigation revealed that the teen was lured into sending the man naked pictures of herself through text messages and emails.
Police executed two search warrants, one at the man’s residence, and one at his office at his church. Electronic devices were seized, and are waiting for forensic examination.
64-year-old reverend doctor Barry Pridham was arrested and charged with sexual exploitation, luring a child and possession of child pornography. He is being held in custody pending a bail hearing.
Pridham is the minister at Sydenham Street United Church in Brantford, where he has worked for the last 22 years.
He is an active member of the Brantford community, sitting on the Brantford-Brant Roundtable on Poverty, the Brantford Living Wage Committee and the Brantford Anti-Racism Committee.
Pridham is also running for city council in Ward 3 in the upcoming municipal election.
