FBI: Toledo pastor from Cleveland charged with sex crimes

CLEVELAND, OH (WOIO) - Cleveland native Cordell Jenkins and another man, accused of charges related to sex trafficking of children, are expected to appear in Federal Court Friday afternoon.

Jenkins, 46, the founder and pastor for Abundant Life Ministries, and Anthony Haynes, 37, were arrested Friday morning at their Toledo homes.

Both men are accused of numerous crimes including "recruiting, harboring, and transporting people they knew were younger than eighteen years old to engage in commercial sex acts". According to authorities, Jenkins faces a charge of sexual exploitation of children and Haynes is also charged with obstruction of justice.

The FBI released the following statement:

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cleveland Division, Toledo Resident Agency, and the United States Attorney's Office, Northern District of Ohio, announce the arrest of Cordell Jenkins, age 46, and Anthony Haynes, age 37, pursuant to a federal complaint and arrest warrant for sex trafficking of children.

Agents placed Jenkins and Haynes into custody early this morning at their residences in Toledo without incident. Additional law enforcement activity occurred today in regards to this ongoing investigation.

Jenkins and Haynes are accused of knowingly recruiting, enticing, harboring, transporting, providing or obtaining a person(s) that the defendants knew was less than eighteen years old to engage in commercial sex acts. In addition to the above, Haynes is also being charged with Obstruction of Justice and Jenkins is being charged with Sexual Exploitation of Children. Both men will have their initial appearance in U.S. District Court later today.

A complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

This investigation was conducted by the FBI's Northwest Ohio Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force. The Task Force is comprised of members of the FBI, Toledo Police Department, Perrysburg Township Police Department, Lima Police Department, Oregon Police Department, Fulton County Sheriff's Office, Ottawa County Sheriff's Office, Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Lucas County Sheriff's Office.

According to FBI spokesman Vicki Anderson the investigation started a few weeks ago and is ongoing.

The ages of the victims have not been released.

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