Former Baptist Youth Minister Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Child Pornography Offense

A Lubbock man pleaded guilty to a charge of child pornography offenses.

25-year old Trevor Jacob Fortner pleaded guilty Friday morning to one count of attempting to transfer obscene material to a minor in U.S. District Judge Sam Cummings court, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

The maximum penalty for the offense is 10 years, but court documents filed in the case show Fortner and the government will make a non-binding agreement to the court for the sentence to be 48 months. Judge Cummings ordered a presentence investigation report with a sentencing date to set after the completion of the report. Fortner remains on bond pending sentencing.

Fortner was a youth minister at a church in Levelland and worked for another church in Lubbock in their graphics department.

Court documents filed on May 7^th of this year indicate that Fortner responded to an online personal advertisement that was posted by the Lubbock Police Department.

An undercover LPD officer posing as a 15-year old girl responded to Fortner online. In emails and text messages between Fortner and the undercover officer, Fortner affirmed repeatedly he understood the girl’s age.

Fortner discussed meeting the undercover officer and described sexual activities he wished to engage in with her. Fortner sent depraved pictures of himself to the undercover officer and requested she send “kinky pics” and “dirty pics” to him.

Fortner was interviewed by LPD officers and he admitted to communicating with 15-year old girl and sending her photographs, which he acknowledged as obscene.

Fortner was arrested by LPD and the FBI on May 8th.