Former youth pastor back in custody on federal sex crime charges
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DESOTO CO., Miss. (WMC) – Former youth pastor Lindsey Whiteside is back in custody following a federal indictment.
Whiteside was indicted late last year on felony sexual battery of a minor. Following the guilty plea, a judge sentenced Whiteside to three years of house arrest and seven years of probation.
Whiteside’s latest federal indictment is for transporting a minor across state lines for sexual purposes.
“I want to emphasize that crimes against children will not be tolerated in Desoto County. We are committed to pursuing justice and protecting the most vulnerable members of our community, the children,” said Desoto County Sheriff Thomas E. Tuggle, II during a press conference Thursday.
Tuggle said, regardless of the outcome of the previous case Whiteside plead guilty in, his office has worked on this federal case since last year.
“Justice will always prevail regardless if it doesn’t look that way, we’re going to continue to fight and fight for justice for Desoto County,” he said.
Prior to the alleged crime, Whiteside worked at Getwell Church Hernando as a student and outreach coordinator, and also previously served as an assistant basketball coach at DeSoto Central High School.
Whiteside served as the assistant girls’ basketball coach at DeSoto Central High until she was hired by Getwell Church Hernando in August 2022.
Oxford, Mississippi, Judge Andrew Howorth filed a motion in Desoto County Circuit Court on Tuesday stating he’s stepping down from the case.
The judge explains in the motion, after the sentencing hearing on October 13, the case gained a lot of media attention including a press conferences and public statements made by DeSoto County District Attorney Matthew Barton. The judge believes Barton’s portrayal of information in the case has been “selective and decidedly unnuanced.”
On October 14, Barton called for DeSoto County School Board member Michele Henley to resign over support of Lindsey Whiteside. Character references were written by nine teachers and one vice principal in the Desoto County School District.
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