Former La Grande Youth Pastor Sentenced to 40 Years for Child Sexual Exploitation Charges

Jacob Melvin Hart, a former youth pastor from La Grande, has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for child sexual exploitation charges. The sentencing was announced by the United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Florida, on July 29, 2026. Hart, who was 46 at the time of sentencing, pleaded guilty to attempted production and transportation of visual depictions involving the sexual exploitation of minors.

Hart, residing in California and working as an IT consultant for a church, was apprehended by U.S. Customs and Border Protection at Miami International Airport after returning from a mission trip to Haiti. This arrest followed his earlier conviction in 2006 by the Union County Circuit Court for installing a hidden camera in a girls’ locker room at a summer camp, resulting in three counts of invasion of privacy and two counts of attempted invasion of privacy.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office emphasized Hart’s misuse of technology and breach of trust to exploit children, noting that his actions involved installing spyware on laptops to secretly record minors and directing children overseas to produce child sexual abuse material. U.S. District Judge Jacqueline Becerra remarked on the severity of Hart’s crimes, highlighting his calculated exploitation of children’s privacy and vulnerability.

U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones underscored the gravity of Hart’s offenses, stating that the 40-year sentence serves to protect children from such predators and reflects a commitment to pursuing those who exploit minors, regardless of their location. This case underscores the importance of accountability and justice in safeguarding the innocence and well-being of children, resonating with the biblical call to “do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).

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