WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – A former volunteer church youth worker was arrested Tuesday at the Wilmington International Airport and charged with a sex crime involving a minor. On Tuesday afternoon, Wrightsboro Baptist Church released a statement on the arrest.
Alan Croom, 35, was charged with indecent liberties with a minor and booked under a $250,000 bond, according to the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office.
According to Lt. Jerry Brewer, Croom also was arrested in April and charged with sex offenses involving a minor. Brewer said that after Croom posted bail, a second victim came forward.
“These crimes took place over ten years ago when Croom was a volunteer youth worker at Wrightsboro Baptist Church,” a news release from the sheriff’s office states. “In the past month Sheriff’s Detectives discovered a second victim and swore out warrants for Croom’s arrest. Detectives learned that Croom was in California and traveling back to Wilmington yesterday.
“Sheriff’s Office warrant squad Deputies along with the Sheriff’s Office ILM Unit confronted Croom in the airport and arrested him.”
In an early news release, the sheriff’s office stated that Croom was a youth counselor at the church before sending out a correction that he was a volunteer youth worker.
According to online court records, Croom was charged with indecent liberties with a child and four counts of statutory rape/sex offense in the April arrest. He is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 15 for those charges.
The church writes in a statement that they cannot provide more information due to the ongoing investigation and criminal charges, but that Croom is not allowed on church property or at church events.
Their statement on the arrest, in part, states:
Earlier this year, as is required by North Carolina law, church leadership shared with the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office certain information regarding alleged sexual abuses of minors that allegedly transpired years ago by a member of our Church. Church leadership shared this information with the Sheriff’s Office as soon as Church leadership was made aware of the allegations.
On Tuesday, April 19, 2022, and Tuesday August 2, 20022, Alan McCabe Croom was arrested by the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office.
This news is certainly distressing. While we would like to be able to provide more information or answer questions, we cannot do so due to the ongoing investigation and pending criminal charges.
However, we can share with you that Alan Croom has been prohibited from being present on our church property or attending any church event. We continue to fully cooperate with local authorities as they conduct criminal investigations.
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