By Chris Yow
Editor
TRUSSVILLE — Trussville police arrested Justin Aaron Conn, 21, and charged him with first degree sodomy of a 10-year-old cub scout. Conn was a volunteer with the scout group.
Justin Aaron Conn (Photo courtesy TPD)
The alleged incident happened at an annual cub scout event being held at Clearbranch United Methodist Church in Trussville, but the scout group is not sanctioned by the church. The church has been the location for this event for several years, according to lead pastor Vaughn Stafford.
Stafford said the church has reached out to the family of the victim, and are cooperating fully with police investigation.
“Our hearts break for the reported events of this past Friday night’s scouting campout,” Stafford said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with this young man and his family.”
Conn will be transferred to the Jefferson County jail and will be held on a $40,000 bond.
134 Comments
Andrea Catalano
Anthony Catalano
Kim Reid
Oh GEEZE, I hope they fry this scumbag!
Anthony Catalano
Unbelievable, what a terrible situation
Kattie Williams
Sick freak!
Misty Garrison-Whaley
This makes me furious!
Laya Smith Bruton
Can’t even trust your kids to be at a church Cub Scout even anymore
Steven Smith
Martha Swint Sherer
This should in no way reflect on Clearbranch as a Church! It can happen anywhere. Just saying. It is a great church!!
Heather Peacock
Hang em high!
Deborah Mason Branham
Just 40,000 not enough
Diane Massey Minton
Oh My Word!!!!! What on earth is wrong with people!!!!! Sick World we are living in these days. Prayers for this young boy & his family.
Sharon Seibers Keane
Heartbreaking
Sunny Taylor Love
You are so right! Home, school, church….anywhere.
Kelley Amberson Leamon
Oh how this hurts my heart for the child and his family. I always say it’s not the perverts that are registered you have to worry about it’s the ones who haven’t been caught yet.
Kathy Funderburke Richwagen
Brooke Alana Watson
Doris Alexander Harrison
True. Pedophiles seek out functions and programs where children are present. It could happen anywhere. Also, I hope he cannot make bond; it seems low.
Emmett Haislip
If I have anything to do with it my Grandson will never be part of the Scouts. To much of this is happening. This creep is very lucky that the victim isn’t anyone we know.
Kelley Amberson Leamon
He’s very lucky the police got him before the boys dad did.
Charles Vanmeter
It is not a death penalty case but this sorry SOB should get life without parole. Hopefully the other inmates will take care of him.
Crystal Jolley Garrett
Paige Mosley Dick
Steven Allen
I hope the news runs the story so all the inmates in county get a good picture of this guy.
Dottie Abrams
This is why my son participates in TrailLife and not Scouts. Christian based and very strict about boys being alone with adults. This is sickening.
Kathy Stanley
Cut em off!!!
John Hollock
The Boy Scouts have agreed to allow gay males to participate as counselors and camping leaders. Welcome to our new inclusive society.
Amber Fox Greene
Agreed, you can’t “fix” this kind of sick. That poor child and his family. As a mother I can’t imagine someone hurting my child like this.
Michael Blankenship
Nah you have to worry about them all.
Mary Crosby
So sick and so sad for that child!! Good luck with him ever be my able to trust adults again! Let him sit in jail!!!!!!
Connie Posey
Sick person…
Michael Blankenship
I say throw him in with the “biggest” inmate if you know what I mean and love them 2 locked up for a few months and let Karma take over.
Carrie Sarette Williams
This kind of thing can and DOES happen wether straight or gay. Sexual violence has nothing to do this sexual orientation. This is just a sick individual.
Anna McLain
Sexual orientation isnt the issue 😒
Maggie Reddick Corcoran
Casey Corcoran McFarling
Mark Shoemaker
Baby face is going to get his due!
Katrina Hill Burns
Praying for the young boy and his family. My God!
Tonya McHan Costa
Good thing it wasn’t one of mine. freakin” jerk
Donna Overton
That poor child. Praying for him.
Jenny Jones Montgomery
Has zero to do with the church. The church allowed them to use the building for the week. Just as they do schools and other organizations. Wish they would say that on the news and stop making it sound like it was affiliated with the church.
Sharon Elaine Paullin
Brittany Duncan
Stephanie Harvey
Yes because all those priests who molest children MUST BE gay. 😐
Sharon Elaine Paullin
I have children in scouts and it is a great organization. This can happen anywhere in today’s society. Church’s included.
Alicia Thorn Chambless
This child’s life will never be the same. Where were the other adults and scouts when this happened?
Amber Gabriel Newport
Rachael Duke
Tanya Coy Richards
Scouting has a strict policy also. This is not limited to one group. Any group where children are involved. Including churches.
Judy AndBob Ping
This incident will forever change this child’s life. This perpetrator has probably done this before and have not gotten caught. Until now. In gods house no less! WHAT IS THIS WORLD coming to?
Nicole Carlisle
Molestation has been happening long before this!
Debbie Mitchell Davis
I just need 5 minutes with the sorry SOB.
Tanya Coy Richards
Ignorant statement right here. Gay men are not child molesters.
Jane Matlock Reeves
Church was just the venue. Not affiliated with the church itself.
Rob Langford
Sadly the scouts have totally changed over the past few years. More incidents like this are happening more frequently and nationally due to the acceptance of the gay lifestyle choices.
Missy Milligan Morris
He will literally get out on bond and be set free. Meanwhile there’s people sitting in prison who will likely never get out, or spend most their lives in prison for lesser crimes. I understand the Lord says “sin is sin” but I just can’t fathom this kind of monster just walking away, a free man from all this. You know that 10 year old will be haunted FOREVER. Our justice system is beyond flawed..
Crystal Buchanan
Jane Matlock Reeves same thing happens at church…
Candice Swafford Moody
Sicko!! What the heck is wrong with people?!
Sharon McNeal
This is beyond awful! That poor child. Not only does this make me sick, it makes my heart hurt.
Jane Matlock Reeves
Crystal Buchanan It does, but just wanted to say it was not a Clearbranch event. Hate it happens anywhere…this was terrible.
Crystal Buchanan
Jane Matlock Reeves agreed
Garland Brock
He needs the ass whippin of all time………to begin with.
Laura Long Goolsby
Pedophilia has nothing to do with homosexuality…
Jenny Jones Montgomery
This child is a hero!! Thankful he spoke up so this doesn’t happen to any more innocent children and gets this creep off of the streets!
Laura Long Goolsby
Parents need to stay closely involved in their children’s activities. I learned my lesson when a (very straight) dad who helped coach my oldest son’s tball team got convicted for child porn. I’ve been present at every activity, practice, event and party for both my boys ever since.
Laura Long Goolsby
Parents need to stay closely involved in their children’s activities. I learned my lesson when a dad who helped coach my oldest son’s tball team got convicted for child porn. I’ve been present at every activity, practice, event and party for both my boys ever since.
Tincie Wicks Turner
He has a younger sister that’s a little younger than his victim. She needs to be checked on!
John Hollock
Whatever. Spin away.
Claudine Land
Exactly! So sad!
Denise Adams
I have a 9 year old….I would cut off his ****!!!
Angie Huffman
sick.
T'Mya R. Cunningham
Alexandra Ashley Murphy you can never be too careful with your kids. This is awful
ItsMarlo TwoTymes
he look like a fucking weirdo hell naw ill beat df out his ass lil sick ass dude
Nancy Jayne Moya Ivey
This just breaks my heart. At the same time though I’m so proud of the young man for speaking up! His parents have done a great job raising him.
Sharon Cole
Awful!
Vonna Whittington Jacks
That is the most disgusting thing I have read in a while. God bless the boy & his family.
Dottie Abrams
Our whole troop switched from Boy scouts to TrailLife. I just love the that our TrailLife troop always puts God first. We pray at every meeting. We do bible stories at camp outs. And if they are short troop leaders they want moms to come help out. Yes it can happen anywhere. But there are a lot of things scouts have recently changed that’s not good for young boys and that’s why our troop switched. The whole Christian based part of TrailLife is what makes me love it even more. Having Godly men teach my son how to be a man of god. Also each person that helps has a child in the troop.
Alexandra Ashley Murphy
I’m so sick of these sick ass need to put their leg down mf til I don’t know what to do. Somebody needs to stick 3 old wooden brooms up his ass at the same time. We make sure that we attend all of Thirds campouts and as far as the day camp that he attended, his walking den leaders were women. I know they can be sick too, but I trust them a little more than the men. And I didn’t allow him to attend something like that for a brief moment w/o our supervision until after we’ve spent a couple years around these people and have gotten to know them better. And hopefully my child will continue to be the whistleblower as he always is especially when it comes to situations as dangerous and traumatizing as these.
Janna Echols Alfano
This is an awful thing that happened. It really could have happened any where.
Scout have a strict two deep policy (which means of an adult takes a child to the restroom there are supposed to be two adults). This is a severe lack of leadership.
I hope he gets the maximum sentence and serves every day of it. Until then I will pray for the family and the child.
T'Mya R. Cunningham
I’m glad you guys have never had to experience this. He needs his whole ass kicked. Sick bastard. I cannot understand for the life of me how anybody can hurt a child. An innocent child!! It baffles me. Yeah I know you are always present and if you can’t be there you send somebody with him so that’s good too. I’m sick to my stomach reading this.
Diane Byrd Wyatt
Cut his Dick off then prison
Emma Belcher
This shouldn’t reflect poorly on the church because I used to go to the youth program some Wednesday nights and it’s amazing! We had a lock in there too. It was very safe and people working there did not let us out of their sight. Sadly this can happen anywhere. 🙁 Even church…it should never happen in God’s home or anywhere. So sad and disturbing.
Rob Langford
Obviously the policy in this case didn’t work.
Janna Echols Alfano
As I stated a lack in leadership.
Wendy Keith Bayer
Gay men and pedofiles are NOT the same thing, idiot. That’s like saying a woman couldn’t be in charge of a Cub Scout group because she’s attracted to men. Offensive and ignorant.
Laura Marie Holmes
People are accepting to gays so more children are being raped? Are you serious? That is ridiculous! More like we have more pedophiles on the streets because Alabama department of corrections has failed us!
John Hollock
Gosh, I hope I didn’t “offend” anyone by stating what I think. And name calling by you is as
John Hollock
childish as your reasoning.
Curtis Dean Levy
He will get paid but in jail
Chris Berry
Not all gay people rape children. Pedos do not gays
Chris Berry
Not all gay people rape children. Only pedos do. So don’t go blaming the gay people
Harley Thompson
Things like this happen everywhere sadly
Autumn Connell Staniscavage
I have no words. Praying for the victim and his family.
Nelda Wood Finney
Too much of this behavior taking place in America today! Sick! Sick! Sick!!!
Ric Weide
Nail his butt!
Casey Corcoran McFarling
Collin won’t be in cub scouts so we shall be safe 😳
Paige Gardner
If you look at Justin Conn’s FB page, you’ll see plenty of scripture… and little kids. He worked with various church youth groups. Youre crafting a homophobic assumption to fit your uninformed and bigoted narrative. Nice try, though.
Tiffany Cail
I’m not sure as a parent how I would handle this. I feel as if I would end up in jail longer than this guy is going get.. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS SICK WORLD!! ??
Dianne Vick
JAIL¡!!!!!!
Laya Smith Bruton
Yeah, sad
Paige Gardner
If you look at Justin Conn’s FB page, you’ll find plenty of scripture and children. He’s been working with church youth (not just scouts) for years. You are simply projecting your homophobia on this tragic event in order to support your ill-informed and bigoted narrative. Maybe turn your energy toward prayer for the child and his family, instead of grabbing the mic with your “blame the gays” ignorance.
Crystal StJohn
My son is an Eagle Scout. They have helped tremendously with his Autism. IF this is true, scouts are not to blame. My son is also very reverent. You don’t get to blame the scouts for one individual’s act.
Crystal StJohn
Considering her brother is in jail, she is probably devastated. I hope no one in your family talks about you like that on social media.
Lindsay Walker
Disgraceful
Chris Clark
This hurts my soul to the core. I grew up in the Scouts and got my Eagle rank. Always imagined my boys would be Scouts one day and maybe even earn their Eagle. It didn’t take me long to realize it wasn’t the organization I had grown up in. It’s not so much that the Boy Scouts had changed as society in general had changed. I pray for this child. It’s a struggle to not convey the hate I feel for the perp. Special place for that individual.
Tammy Schuster
So sad or kids can’t go to a function and be able to be able to enjoy some of life’s Joy without being targeted by perverts. Prayers for family’s and children involved.
Steven Smith
😡😡😡
Dawn Staub
I am so thankful this young boy knew it was wrong and told his parents, or whomever!! Pressing charges is the right thing to do! My thoughts and prayers are with him & his family!! Praying complete healing and peace in their lives! God is Good and can make that happen!!
Matt Phillips
Tolerance got us here
Robyn Howard
Crystal StJohn are you kidding me?!! Her brother is in jail for Molesting a CHILD! He should be UNDER the jail if you ask me!!!
Tincie was saying someone needs to talk to the younger sister bc more than likely if he has done this to another child, then sadly he’s probably done it before and she may be a victim!!! people who do this to kids are SICK!
Dottie Abrams
I’m not blaming the scouts. Where were the other leaders and why was a boy left alone with an adult. I just simply said and stated the reasons why I like TrailLife. TrailLife does a lot of the same exact stuff boy scouts does. Not much different other then they are more strict on the leaders. I never once blamed scouts I simply don’t agree with a lot of their new changes. And I love the fact that TrailLife is the same but Christian based. Which means no transgender and the leaders go through background checks and extensive training. I glad your son had gotten help with his Autism with scouts. That’s amazing. I’m just stating my option just like everyone else and stating why I like the program we are in much better. I can honestly say with out troop I never have to worry any anything when my son is on a camp out and I’m not there. Not trying to start arguments with people. Just stated my personal option.
Jeremy Everett
Tolerance did not get us here, rape got him there
Carol Studebaker Spicer
This is one reason I would not want my child to stay overnight anytime without a parent present.
Carol Studebaker Spicer
Porno with the help of Satan got us here!
Carol Studebaker Spicer
At 21, Justin is still a child so where did he learn this behavior! Parents need to monitor what their children are looking at.
Brenda Green Perkins
He is NOT a child at 21.. He’s an adult! And you can bet you sweet life , he knew it was wrong! He made the decision to do wrong.
Jennifer Green
Fry him!
Victoria Lamb Mcphail
We have ran across him, so have friends at scout events. He is on the slow end and that don’t make it right, but could have a lot to do with how he thinks. Yes he should get everything coming to him, but I wish he could’ve been taught better and such.
We will keep extra eyes on our scouts and have more of the parents we trust with our scouts at all times! This could’ve happened anywhere not just at a scout event. If a person has it in his mind to do harm, they will don’t matter where they are at. Sad situation. And upsets me!
Jimi Coleman
kelly jerrell Shane AndMisty Jones…….doc?
Chris Clark
It?
Mikki Adamson
While, as a Christian, I feel sorrow for the 21 year old man….he is not a child. The 10 year old is a child. My heart goes out to the 10 year old and his family because of the selfish act of someone over twice his age. Someone who is old enough to know better….to be a trusted leader instead of a harmful predator. As far as parents knowing what their children are looking at, I don’t know any 21 year old who would allow his parents to do that. So please get off the “blame the parents” bandwagon and lets make people accountable for their actions. I think that could start with $1,000,000 bail.
Kathy Stanley
All
Stefanie Simonetti Martin
Robi Miller Cole
The Trussville Tribune
From the article:
“The alleged incident happened at an annual cub scout event being held at Clearbranch United Methodist Church in Trussville, but the scout group is not sanctioned by the church. The church has been the location for this event for several years, according to lead pastor Vaughn Stafford.”
Robi Miller Cole
yes, it was a scout event using our facilites.
Janna Echols Alfano
The camp isn’t an overnight camp, it is a day camp.
Jenny Jones Montgomery
I was referring to the local TV news.
Pamela Stone Valdez
No, it didn’t. No one tolerates a pedophile.
Sheryl Lowery
I agree, Robyn Howard. She needs to know the truth because she should NEVER be able to see him again!
Matt Phillips
The original gay rights charter calls for abolition of age of consent laws.
Patty Thompson Davis
Not having your kid in Scouts doesn’t mean he will he safe. Things like this can happen anywhere. Sad world we live for sure.
Angie Beard
omg how horrible prayers go out to the child and parents
Casey Corcoran McFarling
Patty Thompson Davis you got that right–by no cub scouts I mean anytime soon, we have a ways before those extra curricular activities begin 🤗
Bryan Swift
Wendy Keith Bayer it would be like saying all public school teachers are pedophiles, just because some do horrible things to kids. You and I disagree on many things, but I agree that homosexuality and pedophilia are two entirely different issues. I’ve known and worked with several gay folks, and they were all sickened by the actions of pedophiles posing as teachers.
Michael B. Moore
That was right by our house
Michael B. Moore
He will get a low bond and be released by judge chambliss in no time at all
Kathy Wilson
Where is this scum from ????
Kathy Wilson
Praying for family and the child.
Carrie Vines Smith
I don’t think he was saying that all gay people are pedophiles. I took it like..you wouldn’t have a woman leader spend the night at an all boys function and you wouldn’t have a man at an over the night girls function because what “might” could happen. And before you start on me, I am not by any means saying anything negative about people who are gay, straight, black, or white. Thanks!
John Hollock
Thank you Carrie Vines Smith. Somebody finally gets it.
Pamela Stone Valdez
This had nothing to do with age of consent. This was rape.