Alabama youth evangelist accused of ‘sexually abusing at least five young boys’ is indicted AGAIN

Paul Edward Acton Bowen, a 37-year-old Alabama evangelist charged with sexually abusing several children in April, has been indicted on yet another child sex charge

A popular Alabama youth evangelist who was charged with sexually abusing multiple children in April has been indicted on yet another child sex charge.

Paul Edward Acton Bowen, a 37-year-old preacher, author and founder of Acton Bowen Outreach, was indicted on charge of traveling to meet a child for an unlawful sex act on June 22 in Jefferson County, Alabama.

He is now facing at least a dozen child sex charges across two counties in Alabama and one in Florida, and authorities have said they expect more charges to come. 

Bowen, who falsely claimed to be a Fox News contributor, has denied all allegations of inappropriate  conduct, and his lawyer Richard Jaffe maintains that the charges are ‘unsubstantiated rumors’.

Bowen, a popular youth minister, was first arrested in April in Hoover, Alabama, and is now facing at least a dozen child sex charges across two counties in Alabama and one in Florida

Bowen, a popular youth minister, was first arrested in April in Hoover, Alabama, and is now facing at least a dozen child sex charges across two counties in Alabama and one in Florida

Bowen was initially arrested on April 10 in Hoover, Alabama, following a three-week investigation by Hoover Police Department’s Special Victims Unit.

He was charged with second-degree sodomy, second-degree sexual abuse and enticing a child to enter a vehicle or house for immoral purposes.

‘Mr. Bowen is in a highly-respected position of influence and he is trusted by many,’ Hoover police Captain Gregg Rector told Al.com at the time. 

‘We believe he betrayed that trust in the worst kind of way.’ 

One week later he was hit with at 11 additional charges in Etowah County for the alleged abuse of five minors between the ages of 12 and 17 over several years, according to a statement from the Etowah County Sheriff’s Department.

Authorities said some of the victims are now adults and have come forward to report what happened. 

The charges included two counts of second-degree sodomy, three counts of second-degree sexual abuse, and two counts of enticing a child for immoral purposes. 

Following the second arrest Bowen released a statement denying any inappropriate conduct. 

Bowen was initially arrested on April 10 in Hoover, Alabama, following a three-week investigation by Hoover Police Department's Special Victims Unit

One week later he was charged with abusing several more victims in Etowah County

Bowen was initially arrested on April 10 in Hoover, Alabama, following a three-week investigation by Hoover Police Department’s Special Victims Unit. One week later he was charged with abusing several more victims in Etowah County

Social media posts indicate that Bowen married Ashley Nabors (left) in 2015 in Hawaii. She filed for divorce following his first arrest on April 10

Social media posts indicate that Bowen married Ashley Nabors (left) in 2015 in Hawaii. She filed for divorce following his first arrest on April 10

On May 24 a officials in Bay County, Florida, issued a warrant for Bowen’s arrest for ‘lewd and lascivious battery of a child under 16’. 

He is facing a charge for that incident which is said to have occurred between June 1 and August 31, 2016. 

The newest indictment handed down last week in Jefferson County reportedly involves the victim from the first arrest, who police say is older than 12 and younger than 16.     

The indictment claims Bowen ‘did knowingly and willfully travel within this state, to this state, or from this state by any means, or attempted to do so, or knowingly causes another person to do so or attempt to do so, for the purpose of engaging in any unlawful sex act with a child, including sexual intercourse, sodomy, a sexual performance, obscene sexual performance, or other sexual conduct for the benefit of (Bowen).’ 

Bowen is being held in Jefferson County Jail on no bond. 

His bond in Etowah County stands at more than $1million. 

He appeared in Jefferson County court earlier this week for a pretrial hearing on the previous Hoover cases. 

Investigators have said repeatedly in multiple court hearings that they expect more charges to be brought against Bowen, including in Orange Beach and Colorado.

The FBI is involved in the case. 

 



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