A 25-year-old Palatka man who once served as a youth pastor at Victory Church is now at the center of a criminal case that has rocked his former congregation and reignited debate over citizen sting groups. Authorities say Caleb Steven Roberts was arrested in Tampa on Wednesday after investigators allege he traveled to meet someone he believed was a minor for sex. Roberts is the son of Victory Church’s recently resigned pastors. His arrest comes months after a confrontation video circulated online in April.
Tampa police tracked down Roberts on an out-of-county warrant, according to First Coast News. The Putnam County warrant accuses him of traveling to meet a minor and lists charges that include unlawful use of a two-way communication device, transmission of harmful material to a minor by electronic device, and soliciting a child for unlawful sexual conduct using a computer service or electronic device. Hillsborough County deputies took Roberts into custody on Wednesday while the broader investigation moves forward.
The case traces back to a nearly 15-minute video posted in April by the group Operation 17:2. The clip shows a tense confrontation inside a CVS and what the group claims are explicit messages between Roberts and someone it described as a 14-year-old, as reported by The Christian Post. After the footage made the rounds online, Victory Church announced that Pastor Steve and Angie Roberts had resigned from their leadership roles. The video, and the swift fallout at the church, fueled conversation about vigilante sting tactics and how police handle digital evidence that surfaces on social media first and in a courtroom much later.
Charges And Legal Status
Roberts is facing state charges that include traveling to meet a minor along with multiple counts tied to electronic communications, according to First Coast News. Putnam County investigators secured the arrest warrant earlier this month. The State Attorney’s Office will now review the case before deciding on formal filings. Law enforcement officials have stressed that an arrest is not a conviction, and they say the investigation is still very much active.
Background And Church Fallout
In the wake of the uproar, Victory Church pulled the Roberts family’s leadership biography from its website and replaced it with a brief note stating that the congregation is “praying and beginning the search for a new pastor,” according to the church’s leadership page at Victory Church. The sudden departures, paired with the viral sting video, have left church members and nearby residents with lingering questions about oversight in youth ministries, how allegations against staff are handled, and what accountability looks like when faith communities and criminal investigations collide.
What Authorities Say
Palatka police have previously cautioned that the material posted by Operation 17:2 could not be taken at face value and would need to be vetted through a full criminal investigation. Matt Newcomb, assistant chief of the Palatka Police Department, told The Christian Post, “We are currently investigating the incident and are working with the State Attorney’s Office on the case.”
Members of Operation 17:2, for their part, have publicly criticized what they see as delays and limits in how evidence is collected, underscoring the ongoing tension between citizen sting operations and more methodical law enforcement procedures.
The case remains under active review by authorities in Putnam County and Hillsborough County. Court appearances and any additional filings will be scheduled as prosecutors evaluate the evidence. Officials say they plan to release more details as the investigation develops and any legal proceedings move ahead.
