MESQUITE, Texas – A youth pastor has been arrested on several charges of sexual assault against a child, according to the Mesquite Police Department.
Conner “Jesse” Penny, 32, was arrested on April 5 and booked into the Dallas County Jail for charges that include aggravated sexual assault of a child, indecency with a child with sexual contact and continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, court records show.
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According to a press release from MPD, an investigation revealed that Penny had sexual contact with a female victim under the age of 17 on multiple occasions between 2015 and 2018.
“Since his arrest, additional victims have made outcries of abuse by Penny occurring between 2013 and 2021 with arrest warrants also obtained,” police said in the release.
Penny worked as a youth pastor at Inspiration Church, formerly known as Mimosa Lane Baptist Church, in Mesquite, at the time of his arrest.
He has previously worked at the City of Mesquite and as a teacher’s aide at the Mesquite Independent School District, where he was also a counselor through the Recreational After School Program.
His bond is currently set at 2.5 million, according to court records.
Anyone with information that might help investigators regarding Penny, or anyone who was abused by Penny, is asked to call the Mesquite Police Department at 972-285-6336 ext. 0 or email detective Christopherson at lchristo@mesquitepolice.org.