What was supposed to be day one of a trial in Baltimore County ended almost as soon as it began, when former Rossville youth pastor Thomas Pinkerton Jr. abruptly pleaded guilty Monday to one count of sexual abuse of a minor.
Pinkerton, who once worked with teens at Central Christian Church in Rossville, accepted a negotiated deal that calls for a lengthy prison term on paper but will cap his actual time behind bars at no more than four years. He will also have to register as a sex offender for life and serve five years of probation after his release.
Plea terms and what they mean
Under the agreement, Judge Marc DeSimone Jr. approved a 25-year sentence, with most of that time suspended. The plea limits Pinkerton’s incarceration to a maximum of four years and allows him to seek a reduced term at his sentencing hearing on Dec. 14, 2026. The deal also requires five years of supervised probation and lifetime sex-offender registration.
Assistant State’s Attorney Michael DeStefano told the court that prosecutors plan to call seven men who reported being victimized to deliver statements at sentencing, according to The Baltimore Banner.
Allegations and earlier charges
Baltimore County detectives say the abuse stretched from about 2006 to 2010, at Central Christian Church and at Pinkerton’s home in the county. Multiple men have described to investigators a pattern of massages, kisses, and other inappropriate touching.
Pinkerton was arrested in Georgia, extradited to Maryland in August 2025, and initially faced more than two dozen counts tied to the alleged conduct. Baltimore County Police have urged anyone with additional information to contact investigators. NBC News has previously detailed the allegations and the earlier arrest.
Church response and defense
Central Christian Church officials, who say Pinkerton was employed there more than 15 years ago, called the latest developments “deeply heartbreaking.” Lead pastor Larry Kirk said as much in a statement to the congregation.
Outside the courtroom, Pinkerton’s attorney, Justin Hollimon, said his client continues to deny the allegations but chose to accept the plea deal to resolve the case, The Baltimore Banner reports.
What’s next
Pinkerton remains held at the Baltimore County Detention Center and is scheduled to return to court for sentencing on Dec. 14, 2026. Prosecutors say they plan to present victim impact statements at that hearing.
The case is part of a wider reckoning over abuse within some Assemblies of God ministries, an issue examined in NBC’s “Pastors and Prey” reporting. Local and national outlets have tracked the case since the beginning, including coverage of the original charges last year. NBC News has also reported extensively on the allegations, and WMAR-2 News lists contact information for anyone wishing to reach Baltimore County Police’s Crimes Against Children Unit.
