Former pastors accused of child sex trafficking appear in federal court

Anthony Haynes is escorted out of the U.S. District Court in Toledo in July.

One of two Toledo-area pastors charged in a child sex-trafficking conspiracy has additional time to consider a plea agreement.

Anthony Haynes, 39, appeared Wednesday in U.S. District Court on a pretrial hearing for his case. It was originally set as the final day to accept or decline a proposed resolution.

Mr. Haynes recently hired new attorneys Peter Wagner and John Thebes. The defense requested four more weeks to review the case and decide. Federal prosecutors said the same offer has been available to Mr. Haynes for more than six months.

Judge Jack Zouhary set a deadline of Sept. 14.

Co-defendants Cordell Jenkins, 48, and his wife, former Lucas County Administrator Laura Lloyd-Jenkins, 43, also appeared in court. They remain scheduled for trial Oct. 29 with Mr. Haynes.

Mr. Jenkins, founder and pastor of Abundant Life Ministries, and Mr. Haynes, who led the Greater Life Christian Center, both have charges including child sex trafficking and production of child pornography.

Ms. Lloyd-Jenkins is charged with obstructing a sex-trafficking investigation and making a false statement to federal investigators. Judge Zouhary rejected Wednesday Ms. Lloyd-Jenkins' request for a separate trial.

Defense attorneys for Ms. Lloyd-Jenkins said in court records she would suffer undue prejudice should her two charges be tried with the eight filed against her co-defendants.

Judge Zouhary said: “This court is confident that trial procedures can be crafted to deal with these three defendants and the separate charges against each of these defendants.”

A third pastor, Kenneth Butler, 38, formerly of Kingdom Encounter Family Worship Center in Detroit, pleaded guilty in May to conspiracy to sex traffic children, obstruction of a sex-trafficking investigation, and two counts of sex trafficking of children.

Butler admitted he had sex with two underage girls, including encounters at Mr. Haynes' church office. He faces an agreed-upon term of 17½ years in prison. Judge Zouhary is set to sentence him Nov. 20.

Mr. Haynes and Mr. Jenkins are in custody. Ms. Lloyd-Jenkins remains under house arrest.

Contact Ryan Dunn at rdunn@theblade.com, 419-724-6095, or on Twitter @RDunnBlade.