Key Takeaways
- Joshua Allen Trent, a former Jacksonville youth pastor, was arrested on April 12, 2026, on felony sexual battery charges involving a minor.
- Investigators allege the abuse began in 2016 and continued for years.
- The allegations describe a pattern of grooming, coercion, and escalating abuse, raising important questions about oversight and accountability within the church.
Former Jacksonville Youth Pastor Charged in Sexual Abuse Case
Joshua Allen Trent, 42, a former youth pastor in Jacksonville, Florida, has been charged with two felony counts of sexual battery involving a minor.
The case came to light after a tip was submitted to First Coast Crime Stoppers in January 2026, leading investigators to open an investigation into alleged abuse spanning from approximately 2016 through 2022.
Allegations Highlight a Pattern of Manipulation
According to investigators, the victim met Trent through a church community while she was still a minor. Per local reporting, he was employed as a youth pastor at Hillcrest Baptist Church at the time.
Over time, he became a trusted adult, family friend, and even a father figure during a period when her parent was away on tour in the military.
The arrest report describes how the grooming developed gradually. Trent allegedly began spending time with the victim before, during, and after church services, creating opportunities for one-on-one interaction.
Investigators allege that Trent introduced physical contact through “attack” or “surprise” hugs that initially appeared harmless but were used to normalize further touching. As the “relationship” progressed, he allegedly expanded his access to the victim across multiple environments, including his workplace at ChurchTrac, a software company, and private settings such as the church’s youth building and his vehicle.
The victim also began babysitting Trent’s children, during which investigators allege he sought opportunities to be alone with her and continued the abuse. According to the court documents, the conduct escalated into repeated sexual abuse over time, including at least one incident that was recorded. The victim reported that during some encounters she would cry or remain in a shocked state, and in one instance, she lost consciousness.
Investigators allege that Trent maintained control over the victim’s personal life, including having access to all of her social media accounts and passwords.
According to the arrest report, “Anytime during any of the above-referenced incidents, if the victim protested or said no in any manner, [Trent] would threaten to commit suicide. The victim explained the suspect always wore a backpack in which [he] would carry a black handgun that was with him at all times. The victim had personally observed the handgun on multiple occasions. He also threatened the victim by saying if she told anyone, contacted police, or told a counselor about their relationship, he would also commit suicide.”
Prior Investigation Raises Additional Questions
According to the arrest affidavit, investigators also reviewed a 2021 CyberTipLine report submitted by Instagram to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which has been investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
The report involved alleged child sexual abuse material associated with an account linked to Trent. As part of that investigation, law enforcement interviewed him. He claimed that the recipient was someone who he had been having an affair with. No criminal charges were filed in connection with that matter, and the investigation was ultimately closed.
The documents also states that during that period, the victim reported receiving a call from Trent in which he instructed her to dispose of a “password protected thumb drive that he had given her with love letters and nude photos of him. The suspect advised the victim if the police spoke with her to say, ‘I (the suspect) never touched you.’”
Trent was fired from ChurchTrac about two weeks later.
Overlooked Concerns
Investigators noted that Trent had repeated access to the victim in multiple settings, including church functions, his workplace, and his home. In some instances, a witness reported seeing Trent and the victim enter his office and spend time alone behind a closed door.
The affidavit also indicates that at least one individual “explained the relationship between the victim and the suspect to be ‘friendly’ in a way that would not be appropriate for a young juvenile female and an adult male, double her age, to act but at the time did not question either about their ‘friendliness.’”
Broader concern among those who observed the relationship was also noted:
“All the individuals I spoke to in my investigation were concerned about the relationship they observed between the victim and the suspect due to how close the two appeared along with the number of opportunities they were alone together. Again, due to the suspect being seen as a man of faith and had assumed pure intentions with this juvenile female, these concerns were overlooked.”
This account raises significant questions about whether earlier intervention could have prevented further harm.
A Pattern of Roles Involving Access to Children
Records reflect that Trent held multiple leadership roles within churches and church-affiliated organizations, many of which involved direct interaction with minors.
His employment history includes roles such as:
- Youth Pastor at Hillcrest Baptist Church
- Children’s Pastor at Normandy Park Baptist
- Associate Pastor at Woodstock Baptist Church
- Director of Missions and College at Hillcrest Baptist Church
- Vice President at ChurchTrac (2012–2021)
Civil Accountability
Institutions connected to Trent’s roles, including churches such as Hillcrest Baptist, may face civil liability if those in leadership failed to recognize and act on warning signs or did not enforce appropriate safeguards for minors.
Organizations that serve children have a responsibility to implement and enforce protections designed to keep them safe. When those safeguards are missing or ignored, serious harm can occur.
Survivors of childhood sexual abuse may have the right to pursue civil claims against the institutions that may have enabled or failed to prevent the abuse.
While the criminal justice system focuses on prosecuting wrongdoing and imposing penalties, civil cases serve a different purpose. They can help uncover institutional failures, hold organizations accountable, and provide survivors with a path toward justice, financial recovery, and recognition that someone failed to protect them.
Our Commitment to Survivors
Abuse by church leaders is a well-documented issue that continues to affect communities across the country, highlighting the need for ongoing vigilance and accountability.
Clergy sexual abuse represents a profound breach of trust, as the harm is inflicted by someone looked to for guidance, safety, and care.
At Andreozzi + Foote, we represent survivors of sexual abuse nationwide, including those harmed by church leaders and others in positions of trust.
Our team takes a trauma-informed approach to every case, ensuring survivors are heard, supported, and empowered throughout the process.
Every consultation is free and completely confidential.
If you or someone you love was harmed by Joshua Allen Trent or another trusted church leader, please contact us today. Whether you’re ready to explore your legal options or simply need a safe space to be heard, we’re here for you.
Image sources: Joshua Allen Trent, via First Coast News, courtesy of Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. Hillcrest Baptist Church, © Google, via Google Maps.
