A highly-respected Florida pastor could face the death penalty after his sensational arrest for allegedly photographing himself raping a very young girl, DailyMail.com can reveal.
Baptist preacher Jonathan Elwing, 43, has a slew of horrific child sex charges against him, including two capital felony raps for sexual battery of a minor.
His arrest has rocked the congregation and deacons at vibrant Palm View Baptist Church in Palmetto, Florida, where he had been senior pastor for five years.
The father of four was initially charged with four counts of possessing sickening child porn photos after cops were tipped off by a crypto-currency company that he had purchased them off the dark web.
However, a forensic trawl through his cellphone later also discovered a private photo vault app hiding at least 14 pictures of him horrifically sexually abusing the young girl, according to his arrest report.
And DailyMail.com can exclusively reveal Elwing now faces up to 25 charges relating to child pornography and child sex as Manatee County Sheriff’s Office detectives continue to trawl through his electronic devices.
Elwing’s devastated wife Krystal, 40, this week put on a brave face at the neat ranch-style home she shared with the preacher, telling DailyMail.com: ‘I’ve been through too much.’
Bearded Elwing – previously an associate pastor at a congregation within the celebrity-favorite Hillsong Church according to his LinkedIn page – faces a minimum sentence of life without parole if convicted.
But prosecutors could also press for the death penalty under a 2023 Florida law which allows for the ultimate sentence for sexual battery of a child under the age of 12. Juries in Florida need just eight of the panel of 12 to agree to execution.
Chillingly, DailyMail.com can confirm detectives found eight covert-style cameras in Elwing’s office at the church, whose building links with Educational Harbor private Christian school – where Krystal is a teacher.
Another two were at the couple’s home. None of them were in position.
Elwing, dubbed ‘a monster’ by Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells, is currently held without bond at Manatee County Jail in Palmetto. He was indicted by a grand jury on July 10 on sexual battery of a child.
