TEXARKANA, Texas -- A pastor facing 18 felony child sex-abuse charges is likely to be the first case tried in Bowie County once restrictions on jury selections related to the pandemic are lifted.
Logan Wesley III, 56, appeared before 202nd District Judge John Tidwell for a pretrial hearing Wednesday morning from the Bowie County jail using videoconferencing. Wesley's lawyer, Josh Potter of Texarkana, asked the court about a trial setting for Wesley.
Wesley's case was supposed to be presented to a jury this month, but the coronavirus pandemic led to a suspension of jury selections across Texas. Tidwell told Potter he is waiting for the state's highest court to lift the suspension and that he believes there is a possibility jury selection could occur in late June.
First Assistant District Attorney Kelley Crisp said the state sought and was granted a motion to consolidate all of the cases pending against Logan and have a single jury decide the outcomes. Wesley faces 18 felony counts in three indictments involving three victims.
Crisp said the court may need to have hearings to address the admissibility of testimony regarding reported criminal conduct by Wesley, which is believed to have occurred in other jurisdictions such as Miller County, Ark., the location of Logan's church.
Wesley used his position as pastor of Trinity Temple Church of God in Christ in Texarkana, Ark., to sexually abuse young girls and is accused of sexually abusing girls to whom he is related, according to probable-cause affidavits.
Metro on 05/22/2020