A youth pastor in Georgia has been arrested for possessing child sex abuse material (CSAM) after an investigation involving the Pennsylvania State Police. John Tyler Moreland, 30, had reportedly been serving as youth pastor for Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Macon, Georgia.
Editor’s note: This article contains information about child sex abuse that some readers might find disturbing and/or triggering.
Moreland was arrested after the Pennsylvania State Police determined that a device in the area of Mt. Zion Baptist Church downloaded pornographic images of children. The Pennsylvania State Police coordinated with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office in Georgia to arrest Moreland.
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The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office indicated that it is also working with the FBI.
“The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), is currently investigating if any offenses were committed in Georgia,” said a press release. “Search warrants have been obtained for devices in Monroe and Bibb County.”
Moreland was reportedly taken into custody on Friday (April 10). He was arrested while at his mother’s home.
Moreland faces five counts related to CSAM.
According to his Linkedin profile, Moreland, who goes by his middle name, has served as the youth pastor at Mt. Zion Baptist Church since June 2025. He lists two other churches as previous employers.
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During the church’s livestream on Sunday, Pastor Andy Oxford mentioned that he was doing announcements since “Tyler’s not here this morning” before talking about an upcoming baby shower and encouraging congregants to sign up for a fish fry.
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