Terren Dames, a former pastor from the Dallas area, was arrested last year for soliciting prostitution. After police captured him in a STING operation, he was removed from his position as Senior Pastor at North Dallas Community Bible Fellowship. His arrest was part of an ongoing effort by local police to clamp down on prostitution in Plano, TX, which is near his church.
Dames was busted after he attempted to procure the services of an undercover officer dressed as a prostitute. On May 2, 2024, the disgraced pastor responded to an online ad offering illicit services. He allegedly asked for the ‘full package,’ which is slang for sex. Terren Dames agreed to pay the woman $150 for her services. The pair were supposed to meet at a motel, but the pastor left when nobody answered his knock.
Police apprehended the pastor a short distance away in a traffic stop. Dames claimed that he was meeting a friend at the motel. During the arrest, the pastor suffered a medical episode but declined treatment. He faces felony charges and is one of roughly 150 arrests the Plano Police make each year for prostitution. In response to the arrest, one expert explained how online platforms are a common way for criminals to purchase sex.
According to Bianca Davis, who runs an anti-sex trafficking charity, “In the vast majority of cases, there is a trafficker or a pimp behind the scenes.” She says that these are far from victimless crimes, and many women are exploited. “We do know that online purchasing is one of the most prevalent and common ways that this act is being committed, ” she added.
She thinks that arrests are vital to ending sex trafficking. “[I]t’s an important way to get the message out, hopefully to others, that there are consequences and by the way, this is criminal behavior,” she said. Not only has the pastor been charged with a crime, but he has lost his job. Dames was fired from North Dallas Community Bible Fellowship for a “moral failing.”
“NDCBF leadership remains devoted to the church’s mission of making disciples and vision to empower each member to impact the world by doing the work of Jesus Christ,” CBS News quoted the church as saying. “Sound, biblical doctrine remains a priority. The church’s leadership continues to invest in teaching biblical subjects, such as victory, hope, and unity. With passages that prescribe the wisdom in thought and action, the church is eager to pave the path forward in healing and restoration.”
Ironically, the pastor often spoke about his traditional values. In a sermon posted to Facebook, he said, “When a man thinks that he can go to a doctor and have him manipulate his flesh – and so can a woman too – if we who call ourselves Christians stand up and condone this evil and immorality, we are cursing God to his face and saying, ‘your image is disgusting, and I will twist it to how I want it to be.’”
Watch a video of his arrest here:
“When a Christian stands up and acts political versus an outcry against the wrath of God, something is wrong with that Christian! We’re living in a place that’s bringing down the same thing that happened in Sodom and Gomorrah!” he concluded in his ironic sermon. While he has yet to be charged, he faces serious jail time, aside from the embarrassment of failing to live up to his values.
Featured image from embedded video