Charges dropped against Rock Church pastor who was accused of soliciting sex with minor
Charges accusing Rock Church International Pastor John Blanchard of arranging to meet a person he thought was a teenage girl for sex in a motel room were dismissed Tuesday at the request of prosecutors, according to the Chesterfield County court clerk’s office.
The dismissal comes nearly a year after Blanchard was charged along with 16 other men during an Oct. 29, 2021 Chesterfield County police sting. Investigators said the men had been communicating online with an undercover officer posing as a teenage girl and arranged to meet her at a local motel. All were arrested after arriving at the motel.
Blanchard was charged with solicitation of prostitution and using a vehicle to promote prostitution. Both those counts were dismissed, according to the Chesterfield County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court clerk’s office.
Blanchard was released on bond shortly after his arrest and his case had been repeatedly postponed since then.
Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Alexander Michev said during a hearing in April the two sides were working toward a resolution. On Tuesday, prosecutors asked Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Judge David Rigler to dismiss the charges and Rigler granted the request, the clerk’s office said.
The Chesterfield County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office and Blanchard’s defense attorney, Noel Brooks, couldn’t immediately be reached for comment Tuesday. A spokesperson for Rock Church International also couldn’t immediately be reached.
Rock Church is non-denominational and has over 500 churches in multiple countries, according to its website. Blanchard, 52, and his wife, Robin, have been senior pastors there since 2013.
Blanchard participated in a church service two days after he was released on bond. After news of the arrest was widely reported, Rock Church announced he would step down from his pastoral duties while the case was pending.
Jane Harper, jane.harper@pilotonline.com
