Alan Chambers, the married former leader of a gay conversion ministry, was arrested after allegedly attempting to arrange a sexual encounter with a 14-year-old boy, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Office in Florida.
Police Sting Operation
Chambers, 54, a father of two, was caught in a police sting operation. He allegedly sent sexually explicit text messages and tried to arrange a meeting over Snapchat and Telegram with an undercover officer posing as a teenage boy.
"Our detectives stopped a predator before he had the chance to harm a child," the sheriff's office stated. Chambers was arrested on May 18 and charged with attempting to meet a minor for sex.
Details of the Messages
According to an affidavit obtained by WESH, the messages exchanged between February and May included a photo of a man's torso and genitals, as well as an image of Chambers' face. He repeatedly expressed a desire to meet the teen for sex and even asked if he could take an Uber to his work office.
Chambers messaged the boy about "forbidden love" and said he wanted the boy "so much," according to the arrest document. He also expressed concern about their age difference and being discovered. "Is it bad that I want to make love to someone who is 14?" he messaged the undercover agent, as reported by Fox 35 Orlando.
Additional Evidence
Investigators uncovered other messages soliciting sex from male prostitutes, according to the affidavit. Chambers was arrested during a traffic stop on May 18. When questioned about communication with children, he admitted to communicating with one person on Snapchat who claimed to be 14. He also stated that he currently lives with his wife and two children in Winter Park, Florida.
Background of Exodus International
Chambers served as president of Exodus International, a now-defunct Orlando-based ministry that claimed it could "cure" homosexuality, from 2001 to 2013. He shut down the organization in 2013, apologizing to the LGBTQ community "for years of undue suffering and judgment at the hands of the organization and the church as a whole."
Charges and Bond Conditions
Chambers is charged with solicitation of a minor via computer, transmission of material harmful to minors, and unlawful use of a two-way communication device. He was released on a $15,000 bond and is prohibited from having any contact with individuals under 18. He was also ordered not to use social media and is allowed online access only for work purposes.
