Youth pastor at Yuma church charged

A criminal complaint has been filed against a youth pastor from Valley Baptist Church in Yuma for allegedly providing “items of a sexual nature” to a 14-year-old girl.

During his arraignment in Somerton Justice Court, 43-year-old Robert Warren was charged with two counts of furnishing harmful material to a minor.

Warren was arraigned before Somerton Justice of the Peace Jorge Lozano, who ordered his bond be reduced from the cash-only $63,500 bond it had previously been set at to $25,000. Lozano also scheduled Warren's next court date, a preliminary hearing, for Nov. 14 at 2 p.m.

According to the Yuma County Sheriff's Office, a woman contacted its office over the weekend to report that her daughter had received “items of a sexual nature” from the church's youth pastor.

Detectives from the sheriff's office interviewed the victim and were able to determine that Warren had made contact with the victim and informed her that he had obtained the items in question and had dropped them off at her house.

Court records indicate that the victim sent Warren a text message asking him to purchase two sex toys for her and drop them off at her house, which he allegedly did.

On Wednesday deputies went to Warren's residence and he was taken into custody. During questioning he admitted to buying the items and delivering them to the victim's residence.

YCSO says at this time there doesn't appear to be any other victims in this case. However, if anyone has any further information they're encouraged to contact the Yuma County Sheriff's Office at (928) 783-4427.

James Gilbert can be reached at jgilbert@yumasun.com or 539-6854. Find him on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/YSJamesGilbert or on Twitter at @YSJamesGilbert.