Alpharetta, GA – A metro Atlanta youth pastor is now in custody after investigators say he distributed videos showing children involved in sex acts. Daniel Menelaou, 28, was arrested Wednesday after Roswell Police and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation executed a search warrant at his home in the Hunters Cover neighborhood. The investigation began following a cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
During the search, officers seized several electronic devices, which are now being analyzed for further evidence. According to the arrest warrant, Menelaou uploaded multiple videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and shared them through the messaging app Kik.
Church Issues Strong Condemnation
Menelaou served as a youth pastor for Futures Church in Alpharetta. In response to the arrest, the church released a statement calling the charges “abhorrent, appalling, and completely contrary to everything we stand for.” Church leaders said they had no prior knowledge of any allegations or wrongdoing before Menelaou’s arrest and emphasized that the details outlined in the arrest warrant are “deeply disturbing.”
Futures Church stated that Menelaou was placed on administrative leave immediately after the arrest, and his position was terminated as soon as the full extent of the charges became clear. The church reiterated its zero-tolerance policy for abuse, stating, “Let us be unequivocally clear, this behavior is reprehensible and has no place in our church.”…