JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The News4JAX I-TEAM has obtained a court-filed protection injunction from the victim in the case against former youth pastor and local business owner Joshua Trent, who is accused of sexually abusing an underage girl for years, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
In the filing, the victim describes what she said happened to her as a teenager.
“When I was 15 years old the respondent was my pastor and he sexually assaulted me for about five years. He groomed me for several years from 2016-2022 and then sexually assaulted me for several years. What the respondent did to me as a teenager is starting to resurface as an adult,” she wrote in the injunction.
Trent, 42, was arrested and booked into the Duval County Jail. Police said the abuse began with hugs and escalated over time to intimate touching and sexual acts at multiple locations, including the parking lot of the ChurchTrac business and in his office, according to the arrest report.
The report also stated that investigators believe Trent gained trust because he was viewed as a “man of God.”
According to a LinkedIn page that has since been deleted, Trent worked as a youth pastor at Hillcrest Baptist Church from 2015 to 2016 and served as vice president of ChurchTrac, a software company that serves houses of worship.
In the injunction, the victim also alleges Trent used threats of self-harm to keep her from leaving.
“The respondent mentioned killing himself. I didn’t leave the respondent for several years. While being sexually assaulted, he would tell me that if I did leave or stop, he would kill himself, and it would be my responsibility that his children didn’t have a father,” she wrote.
Investigators say the victim later made a phone call to Trent in January while police monitored the conversation. Trent acknowledged the sexual relationship, according to the sheriff’s office.
News4JAX spoke with defense attorney Shannon Schott, who is not associated with the case, about the charges. Schott said additional charges could be filed as investigators and prosecutors continue reviewing the allegations, including potential sexual battery charges that can carry a life sentence.
The sheriff’s office said the investigation remains open and that investigators do not currently know of additional victims. Trent has been released on a $400,000 bond and is prohibited from being around children other than his own, according to authorities.
Trent was also investigated in 2021 over allegations of child pornography possession but was not charged, according to the report.
News4JAX reached out to Trent and his attorney for comment. No responses had been received as of publication.
Hillcrest Baptist Church sent us this statement after we reached out about the arrest:
We are aware of the recent news regarding charges involving a former employee. The situation is deeply concerning and grieves our hearts.
First and foremost, our prayers and concern are with those affected. We are committed to supporting those involved with compassion, care, and respect for their privacy.
We take matters like this seriously. The individual is no longer associated with our church and has not been since 2018. We are fully cooperating with the authorities as they conduct their investigation, and we remain committed to integrity, safety, and accountability in our ministry.
Hillcrest Baptist Church