UPDATE: Pastor Anthony Baker said Richard Batson was paid by the church to mow the lawn each week, along with other odd jobs that needed to be done when church was not in session. Baker said Batson was not in a hired position that put him in contact with youth.
***
In 2010, incriminating text messages led police to Richard Batson.
According to court documents, Batson bragged to a friend about having sex with his 16-year-old foster daughter and another woman.
Richard BatsonBatson pleaded guilty to the charges in 2012, in exchange for a relatively light sentence of four years' probation. His attorney said at the time that he was undergoing a stressful divorce and drinking at the time of the incident.
Julie Yoder, the woman involved in the sex act with the teenager, pleaded guilty to statutory rape and was sentenced to three years in prison.
At the time of his plea, Batson agreed to register as a sex offender. On May 19, Batson was arrested on charges he violated the sex offender registry.
According to an arrest affidavit, Riverside Baptist Church pastor Anthony Baker's wife, Vallerie Baker, reported he worked there April 4, the date when the violation is alleged to have occurred.
Police say he violated the rules by failing to report to the registry that he was working at the church.
It's not clear what Batson did for the church. A call for comment was not returned Wednesday afternoon.
The report states Batson is "currently under investigation for having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a minor child during the course of his employment at the Riverside Baptist Church."
At Batson's 2012 sentencing, Anthony Baker spoke on his behalf, saying he sensed "nothing but remorse" from Batson.
Baker said Batson coached softball at the church, and that he would trust Batson to coach his 16-year-old daughter's team.
Contact staff writer Claire Wiseman at cwiseman@times freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @clairelwiseman.