Key Takeaways
- Jeremiah Swaw, 38, has been charged with grooming a minor following an investigation involving alleged inappropriate conduct with a 16-year-old female church member.
- Swaw was a “Next Generation Pastor” at Hillcrest Baptist Church, where he led youth programming, supervised student leaders and interns, and reportedly maintained a church presence in several local schools.
- Hillcrest Baptist Church terminated Swaw after learning of the allegations and prohibited him from contacting young people at the church or participating in church-sponsored activities.
- Civil lawsuits may allow survivors to seek accountability from churches or other institutions that failed to take reasonable steps to protect them from sexual abuse.
Jeremiah Eugene Swaw, a former “Next Gen” pastor at Hillcrest Baptist Church in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, has been arrested and charged with grooming a minor under a new Kentucky law that took effect in July 2026.
“The new law…defines grooming a minor as engaging in a course of manipulative behavior or trust-building directed at someone under 18 with the intent to induce sexual conduct or build an intimate or secretive relationship.” (WKDZ Radio)
Jeremiah Swaw Accused of Grooming 16-Year-Old
Swaw, 38, of Cadiz, was arrested by the Cadiz Police Department on August 17, 2026, following an investigation involving alleged inappropriate conduct with a 16-year-old female church member.
According to WNKY, “According to a uniform citation, on Aug. 17, the Cadiz Police Department received a report regarding multiple incidents of inappropriate physical contact involving an adult male and a minor. Authorities say they were told that during prior incidents, 38-year-old Jeremiah Swaw of Cadiz allegedly made inappropriate physical contact with a minor victim.”
The citation states that Swaw “admitted to inappropriate physical contact with the minor on several occasions but denied the majority of the sexual contact allegations.”
It was confirmed by authorities that Swaw was an “‘adult religious leader,’” according to WNKY.
Authorities have stated that the investigation remains ongoing and could result in additional charges.
Swaw was booked into the Christian County jail on August 17, 2026.
Hillcrest Baptist Church’s Response
Hillcrest Baptist Church, located at 920 Skyline Dr, in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, describes itself as a “welcoming, multigenerational, multicultural church family.”
At the time of his arrest, Swaw was employed by Hillcrest Baptist Church. The church identified Swaw as its “Next Generation Pastor.” He has also been identified as the Young Adults and Discipleship pastor for Hillcrest.
On August 20, 2026, Hillcrest released a statement on their Facebook page, that said, in part:
“On the afternoon of August 17, 2026, church leadership was made aware that Jeremiah Swaw, who has been our Next Generation Pastor, had turned himself in to authorities for an alleged illegal and immoral act with a minor.
Jeremiah has been terminated effective immediately. He is prohibited from having any contact with the young people in our church and from participating in church-sponsored activities.
We are deeply saddened and troubled by this news, and we ask that you join us in prayerfully awaiting more information on this matter as it proceeds through the justice system.
Per our understanding, this alleged offense did not occur on church property.’”
While Hillcrest has reportedly taken action following Swaw’s arrest, the extensive access he had to minors and young people through his church role raises serious concerns. Questions remain about how the alleged conduct was able to occur in the first place and what safeguards, supervision, and policies were and are in place to protect young church members.
Hillcrest As Part of the Southern Baptist Convention
Hillcrest is part of the Southern Baptist Convention, according to faithstreet.
Per its own constitution and bylaws, Hillcrest is in cooperation with the Southern Baptist Convention, the Kentucky Baptist Convention, the Christian County Baptist Association.
The Southern Baptist Convention has faced extensive scrutiny over allegations of a long-standing problem of clergy sexual abuse and institutional failures to protect victims.
The landmark Abuse of Faith investigation documented more than 700 victims of sexual abuse by Southern Baptist pastors, employees, and volunteers over a 20-year period, many of whom were children.
“In all, since 1998, roughly 380 Southern Baptist church leaders and volunteers have faced allegations of sexual misconduct, the newspapers found. That includes those who were convicted, credibly accused and successfully sued, and those who confessed or resigned.About 220 offenders have been convicted or took plea deals, and dozens of cases are pending. They were pastors. Ministers. Youth pastors. Sunday school teachers. Deacons. Church volunteers.” (Houston Chronicle)
Image source: Kentucky New Era
Jeremiah Swaw’s Role at Hillcrest Baptist Church
A Facebook post from August 1, 2022, announces Swaw joining Hillcrest:
A November 2025 Kentucky Today profile identified Swaw as Hillcrest’s Youth Pastor, as well as its Young Adult and Discipleship Pastor. Swaw reportedly had served at Hillcrest for approximately two and a half years and had taken over the youth ministry in February 2025.
Hillcrest’s YouTube account documents Swaw preaching at the church as early as March 2023.
Under his leadership, Swaw said Wednesday-night youth attendance grew from 18 to 70 students, while Sunday School participation increased from 12 to 47. He also helped to create a Student Leadership Team and internship program, supervised interns, and led students at summer camp.
Swaw is pictured in numerous photos with youth.
Swaw was involved with Hillcrest Young Adults, the young-adult ministry that eventually developed into The Kingdom’s Collective in 2024. The Kingdom’s Collective serves high school seniors through 25-year-olds.
As of the time of this writing, Swaw maintains an active social presence on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Substack, where he identified himself as a pastor and frequently shared faith- and ministry-related content. His TikTok account included numerous posts related to church and youth-group activities.
Swaw‘s Presence in Local Schools
Swaw’s involvement with young people was not limited to activities held at Hillcrest Baptist Church.
In the November 2025 interview with Kentucky Today, Swaw said he maintained a strong presence in local schools: “Christian County, Hopkinsville, and two private schools. ‘Heritage Christian Academy is the heaviest one,’ he said. ‘They have chapel every single Thursday. It’s easy to get into that school. FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) is a good entry to be in school. We are in school to be a presence.”
In light of the allegations now facing Swaw, these comments are particularly concerning. Swaw was describing a “ministry strategy” that intentionally extended his access to young people.
Previously Pastor ar Bethany Baptist Church
Swaw’s pastoral work predates his time at Hillcrest.
Records from the Little River Baptist Association identify Swaw as pastor of Bethany Baptist Church, a small church in Cadiz, Kentucky, as early as 2021.
His position at Bethany is independently documented in a November 2021 edition of The Cadiz Record, which advertised Swaw, Pastor at Bethany Baptist Church, as a guest speaker at Ponderosa Baptist Church’s Thanksgiving Fest.
When a Youth Pastor Is Accused of Grooming
Those who groom or sexually abuse children do not always appear threatening. They may be trusted pastors, mentors, or community leaders whose positions provide access to young people and help them build credibility with children, parents, and other adults.
This dynamic can be particularly concerning in religious settings, where priests, pastors, or other religious leaders are viewed as spiritual authorities and may be trusted with significant access to young people.
For survivors, particularly children and teenagers, speaking out against someone trusted by their family, church, or community can be especially difficult. They may fear they will not be believed or worry about the consequences of coming forward.
Allegations involving religious leaders underscore the importance of strong safeguards and clear reporting procedures designed to protect children within churches.
Could Hillcrest Baptist Church Be Held Liable?
Given Swaw’s extensive access to young people through his role at Hillcrest, the allegations raise important questions about the safeguards and oversight in place, including:
- What policies governed interactions and communications between youth pastors and minors?
- What background checks and child sexual abuse prevention training were required for pastoral staff and volunteers?
- Did church leadership receive any prior concerns, complaints, or warning signs involving Swaw?
Whether Hillcrest could face civil liability depends on the specific facts of the situation, including what the church knew or should have known and whether reasonable measures were taken to protect young people.
The fact that the alleged conduct may have occurred away from church property does not necessarily eliminate potential civil responsibility.
Civil litigation can provide survivors with a pathway to hold institutions accountable, pursue compensation for the harm they have suffered, and encourage stronger policies designed to better protect children in the future.
Legal Options for Survivors
If you or your child were groomed, abused, or otherwise harmed by Jeremiah Swaw or another religious leader, minister, or authority figure, please contact our firm for a compassionate, confidential consultation to learn more about your legal rights.
The attorneys at Andreozzi + Foote represent survivors of sexual abuse nationwide. Our firm has extensive experience handling cases involving churches, youth organizations, and other institutions entrusted with the safety of children.
We offer free case evaluations to help survivors understand their rights and explore the legal options that may be available to them. Our team approaches every case with compassion for survivors and a commitment to holding institutions accountable.
Contact us today.
Image Sources: Hillcrest Baptist Church, © Google, Google Maps. Left: Jeremiah Swaw, via media.thechurchcoassets.com Right: Mugshot of Jeremiah Eugene Shaw, via Busted Newspaper.
