Former Jacksonville-area youth pastor Joshua Trent, 42, is being held without bond after his April 12 arrest on two counts of felony sexual battery, according to court records. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office says the alleged abuse began when the victim was a minor and continued over several years, the result of what investigators describe as a months-long grooming pattern that sparked an extended investigation.
Investigation and arrest
Detectives say the case opened after a First Coast Crime Stoppers tip came in on Jan. 16. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Special Assault Unit launched a formal investigation on Jan. 20, according to the report.
Investigators say they used social media to identify a witness who then provided contact information for the victim. The victim agreed to an interview that same day, and the case quickly moved forward.
On Jan. 28, during a recorded investigative phone call, investigators say Trent told the victim, “I think about you 100% of everyday ... I still saved all the emails so I can go back and read them.” Detectives say those comments line up with the conduct described in the report, according to News4JAX.
Where detectives say it happened
The arrest report states that Trent served as a youth pastor at a Jacksonville-area church where the victim’s family were members. He also worked as a vice president at a church-software company on Normandy Boulevard.
Investigators allege that some of the abuse took place both at the company’s office and at Trent’s home. The report states that the company fired Trent in November 2021 after detectives visited the business during the investigation.
Court records show an arrest warrant was issued on April 9. Trent was located and taken into custody on April 12 and is being held without bond on two counts of felony sexual battery, according to News4JAX.
Arrest site and local ties
According to investigators, detectives spotted Trent leaving Westside Baptist Church on Herlong Road and followed his black Ford Bronco to a Larry’s Giant Subs on Normandy Boulevard, where they moved in and arrested him.
Westside Baptist lists a Herlong Road campus on its website, and online listings place the Larry’s Giant Subs location at 7895 Normandy Blvd, per Westside Baptist Church and MapQuest.
Legal implications
Trent is charged under provisions of Chapter 794 of the Florida Statutes, which defines sexual battery and related offenses involving minors and adults, according to Chapter 794.
Potential penalties can include lengthy prison sentences and mandatory placement on the state’s sex-offender registry, depending on the victim’s age and case details, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
The case remains under review by Duval County authorities. Investigators say they are continuing to gather evidence, and no public court dates have been announced yet.
