John David Helmuth - Pastor was an Internet Predator

A 44-year-old pastor from Pelzer was arrested on ten counts of criminal solicitation of a minor.

According to Attorney General Henry McMaster, John David Helmuth, of Beattie Street in Pelzer, was arrested on September 22 in an internet predator sting conducted by the City of Greenville Police Department.

Helmuth was arrested on ten counts of criminal solicitation of a minor, a felony offense punishable to ten years imprisonment on each count, and one count of attempted criminal sexual conduct with a minor, a felony punishable to twenty years imprisonment.

Arrest warrants allege that beginning on June 23, 2009, Helmuth solicited sex on the internet from an individual he believed to be a 13-year-old girl.

In reality, he was soliciting sex from an undercover Greenville police officer.

Helmuth further arranged to meet the "girl" for sex and a predetermined location in Greenville. He was arrested upon his arrival at that location.

Helmuth was assigned a bond of $100,000.

Search warrants executed on Helmuth's residence and church office resulted in the seizure of two computers.