According to the statement, the victim “started working for” Howard in the fall of 2019, and the following spring, Howard allegedly “began sending messages of a sexual nature to the then 15-year-old victim.”
“That same year, the sexual abuse and sodomy began and continued on multiple occasions” over the next four years, the sheriff’s office said.
The Boone County Sheriff’s Office said that when detectives conducted additional interviews, they “learned that Howard made admissions” regarding a “‘3-4 year’ relationship” with the victim.
Howard was arrested on Jan. 2 and has been charged with 40 counts of sexual abuse in the first degree and 40 counts of sodomy in the third degree.
Howard is being held at the Boone County Jail on a $250,000 bond.
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ChurchLeaders has reached out to Florence Baptist Temple for comment and will update this article in the event of a response.
This article has been updated to include a statement from Answers in Genesis.
