HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — Two men were accused of sex crimes on underage victims, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff Chronsiter said that the two men “took advantage of our youth’s trust to prey on them.”
David Robinson, 34, was arrested for sending at least two minors, ages 12 and 17, several text messages of harmful sexual material, between January 2023 and June 2023.
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said Robinson would send the victim’s bible verses and then ask them questions including, “Are you sexually active?” and “Are you pregnant?”
“Things that no one should ever be asked, nonetheless a 12-year-old and a 17-year-old from a youth pastor,” Chronister said.
Detectives said Robinson was a youth pastor at Shiloh Baptist Church in Plant City and would volunteer at Seffner Christian School in eastern Hillsborough County.
“I find it hard to believe these are the only two victims,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a press conference. “I believe there are more victims.”
Deputies learned of this crime through parents checking their children’s phones.
Sheriff Chronister asks any parents with children attending the faith institutions to have a conversation to make sure their child wasn’t a victim if they have had interactions with Robinson.
Robinson was charged with nine counts of transmission of harmful material to a minor. He was arrested in Polk County and is being held at the Polk County Jail.
Matthew Galhouse, a 40-year-old softball coach with Lady Hawks in Pasco County, was arrested by deputies for sex crimes on an underage victim.
One of his softball players was a 17-year-old girl with whom he engaged in sexual relations in a park.
The Pasco County sheriff’s department learned she was invited back to his New Tampa home.
Galhouse also hired her to be his babysitter for his child. Over the course of three months, whenever she would babysit, they would engage in sexual relations.
Deputies said they believed similar crimes were committed at his home.
Officials said they learned of this incident after the victim’s parent noticed something was off and checked her phone, leading to the discovery of the relationship.
Galhouse was charged with 12 counts of sexual battery.
“Thank you to the victims for their courage, thank you to the parents for being good parents, and thank you to anyone out there who knows that these two youth leaders in our community that preyed on these young, impressionable, female adults. Thank you for coming forward and helping us,” Chronister said.
“These adults took advantage of their victims and used their positions of power and influence to get what they wanted,” Chronister said. “I am grateful for the bravery of the victims who spoke out, and I plead with anyone else who may have been victimized by this softball coach or the youth pastor to please speak with our detectives. They are compassionate and kind and only want to seek justice, help connect you to any help you may need, and make sure no one else falls victim to these predators.”
Anyone with additional information on these crimes, or if you are a victim, contact the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Department at 813-247-8200.
