Update: This story was first published March 8, 2018. Charges against Caleb Lide Jordan were dropped on March 9, 2021, and his record was expunged on May 26, 2021, according to documents signed by the Solicitor David Pascoe. The original story is below.
A man arrested in late February on charges related to the exploitation of a minor has been identified as a former youth minister for a Charleston church that also has a congregation in Bluffton.
Caleb Lide Jordan, 30, of Charleston, faces two counts of 1st degree sexual exploitation of a minor, a felony offense punishable by up to 20 years in prison on each count, and two counts of criminal solicitation of a minor, a felony offense punishable by up to 10 years in prison on each count, according to a news release from the office of South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson.
He was arrested Feb. 27 by the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office after investigators received a tip through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the news release said.
Investigators in the release allege Jordan engaged in sexually explicit communication, encouraged a minor to create and send sexually explicit images, and solicited a minor for sex.
ABC News 4 identified Jordan as a real estate agent and former youth minister at NewSpring church in Charleston.
A church administrator told the television station that Jordan resigned from the church staff in 2015, but continued in a volunteer capacity until his arrest.
Jordan’s LinkedIn page lists his church jobs as “next steps director,” “student ministry director” and “campus pastor assistant.”
There’s no indication anything inappropriate happened between minors at the church and Jordan, the church administrator told ABC News 4.
NewSpring has 14 congregations across the state, including in Bluffton, where members meet at River Ridge Academy. The church also has services in Columbia, Rock Hill and Myrtle Beach, among other locations.
Details about the minor’s age and gender were not released.
Lisa Wilson: 843-706-8103, @lisawilsonIPBG
This story was originally published March 08, 2018 11:28 AM.