CYPRESS, Texas – A Houston-area youth pastor already accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl is now charged with online solicitation of a minor.
Chad Foster, 33, was arrested on the rape charges on November 3, 2011.
According to court documents, investigators learned of the latest offense after Foster’s November arrest. The new charges were filed on Wednesday.
Precinct 4 investigators spoke with the victim, a 14-year-old girl, who said she met Foster while he was a youth minister at Second Baptist Church in Cypress.
The teen told investigators she and Foster exchanged phone numbers and started sending one another texts. Their conversations eventually spread to Facebook, and then to Skype.
The girl said starting in January of 2011, Foster would expose himself to her over Skype. She said he did this 14 or 15 times over the next five months, repeatedly telling her to delete all the logs and records of their conversations and video chats.
Investigators said phone records showed 15,000 texts between the 14-year-old and Foster from January 1, 2011, and November 2, 2011.
Foster made his first court appearance in the most recent case Friday morning. He did not comment, and was later released on bail.
"Our heart goes out to the damage for these families and just the devastation of these girls and their families – and that’s really where we’re concerned," Pastor Donald Butler said.
In the sexual assault case, Foster is accused of raping a 16-year-old girl he met while working as a high school youth pastor over the summer of 2011 at the Community of Faith Church in Cypress.
That victim told investigators that she and Foster immediately became friends, and at some point, they exchanged phone numbers. She said they would communicate regularly via text messages.
Then, in late July, the victim told investigators that their relationship became sexual at Foster’s home.
The victim said she and Foster continued to have a sexual relationship through mid-October.
The victim told investigators that Foster told her multiple times how important it was that they keep their relationship a secret, because of their age difference. She said Foster told her if anyone found out, he would be in legal trouble.
But in late October, the girl said she started feeling bad about her relationship with Foster, so she made outcry to her Spanish teacher and another pastor at the church. They notified the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
The victim said Foster has sent her multiple texts and emails, asking her to deny their sexual relationship to anyone who might ask about it.
Investigators believe that there could be other victims, and said they’re in the process of interviewing more girls.
"It’s a scary thing for us to think that there could be more people that have been victimized," Pastor Donald Butler said.
Neighbors said they often saw young girls arriving at Foster’s home, and that he always seemed to make a point to hide their cars in his garage. His house is now for sale.
"He’s an individual you need to watch closely. These types of individuals are scary, because you never know who’s … you never know," Sgt. Gary Spurger of the Precinct 4 High-Tech Crimes Unit. "These are just the first two. That’s my gut feeling. These are the first two. There will be more."
