Catoosa pastor arrested in prostitution sting
By Taylor Leonard
Tuesday May 1, 2007 4:05:33pm


Chattanooga police arrested nine men Friday in a prostitution sting including the pastor of Ringgold United Methodist Church.

Police arrested Rev. Steve Moore, 42, in the undercover operation. Moore is also the chaplain of Catoosa County Fire & Rescue.

According to a Chattanooga Vice Department detective who asked to remain anonymous, two female police officers posed as street prostitutes on the 2800 block of Wautauga Street in downtown Chattanooga between 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. A takedown team waited for the “johns” to solicit sex for money before making the arrests. All of the arrests were audio and videotaped.

Moore was arrested, taken into custody and issued a citation in lieu of arrest. He is charged with patronizing prostitution within a mile and a half of a school. According to police, Moore will have to go to the Hamilton County Jail sometime between May 23 and 25 to be photographed, fingerprinted and issued a court date.

The detective confirmed that the takedown team found a fire chaplain’s uniform in the back of Moore’s car.




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romegasir
Comments: 1608
Joined: 03/14/2007
05/15/2007 04:51:52 AM
Another great post Naturalist.........the fact that a preacher's wife has to use physical violence to keep her man in line gives me yet another excuse to not go to church. Can you imagine if I hit my wife ANYWHERE on her body because she looked at another man? I'd be in jail.......yet when a woman does it, it's cute.
 
TheNaturalist
Comments: 128
Joined: 05/23/2006
05/14/2007 07:47:45 PM
nurse137:

"TheNaturalist.........yes what he did IS wrong.........thats why it is against the law!!!!!!!! and there is a difference in having a healthy sex drive and commiting illegal sex acts. So I guess since some men choose to have sex with underage children we should over look it and not judge or shame them because they just have a sex drive."

There are lots of things that were once illegal that are not wrong. Like helping slaves get to freedom. So, I just can't agree with your statement that all illegal things are wrong. I'm also really tired of the child molestation red herring that's always trotted out in conversations about sex and law. Sex between two consenting adults in exchange for money is qualitativly different than raping a child. A child isn't fully developed mentally so he/she has no power to agree to sex. Every case of an adult having sex with a child is rape. Second, it's been show that sexual activity too early does damage to a person. Those are two very good reasons for child moelstation to be illegal. Child molestation is totally separate from adult-adult prostitution and should be treated differently by the law.

I'm not even saying that prostitution is good. I'm saying that it is going to occur and a regulated sex industry is better than an unregulated sex industry. We have techonologies that can mitigate the ill effects of illegal prostitution like disease and violence. Is it more moral to allow disease to spread and violence to grow unchecked?
 
Ima D Scamp
Comments: 286
Joined: 08/30/2006
05/14/2007 03:57:52 PM
Ima back...... very interesting that I heard a sermon yesterday referring to the fact that women nowdays seem to want to dress very provacatively. The minister stated that he must confess that of all the counseling that he has done over the 40 plus years he has ministered, this seems to be the 99% reason that men come for counseling. He also confessed that it is a given that women who dress as such, will turn men's heads. In addition, he stated when that occurs with him, he immediately loses that desire to look too long because he has an intense pain in his rib cage........ the elbowing of the wife to tell him to "watch it buddy....... you are going home with me...... and look the other way". Those nudges seem to hurt more each year, therefore there are fewer times that He takes a second glance. Had to really chuckle at that one.
Hope everyone had a happy Mother's Day, both Moms and Dads along with the "chulluns". Enjoy the flowers and the beautiful weather.
Justa statement, opinion, information etc. as usual!
 
stick
Comments: 38
Joined: 05/09/2007
05/13/2007 10:44:10 PM
JawgiaBawy, Not all men are sick dogs as you are insunuating. I happen to know many men who are devoted to God and their wife and children. And no , Im sure none of them are perfect and all of them have sinned as we all have. For you to put all men in a sick category as you have, you must be a sick dog yourself. I believe God made men to be attracted to women and women beautiful to attract men, and there are lots of men that do belong in the same group with you but all men are not in the same category with sick dogs like yourself who claim"men will be men".
All men are not WEAK when it comes to extra marital sex or perverted sex with children or the same sex. Yes Im sure all men have been tempted, but not all have given in. Sorry, as bad as you may want all men to be perverts like yourself, ALL MEN WILL NOT BE PERVERTED!
 
JawgiaBawy
Comments: 4
Joined: 05/06/2007
05/13/2007 11:36:29 AM
A guy will always be a guy.

You can hang a collar around his neck and fill his arms with Holy Bibles; he's still a guy...

He will ALWAYS be a guy, first and foremost.

I'm sortuva guy expert; I been one all my life.
 
jaydubya
Comments: 193
Joined: 11/05/2006
05/11/2007 09:49:14 PM
nurse137, you don't know me to be scared of me. Just as you can't read. You have been asked if you have seen the VIDEO or heard the TAPE. As of yet you have not answered this simple question. But you have certainly jump to the conclusion that this man is guilty. Who made you judge and jury? If anybody scares anybody YOU SCARE ME!!!!!!!!!!!!! And now you have grouped several of us together and tagged us as scary. Someone that labels people without knowing them is working on one brain cell. Change your name on this site, you dishonor the profession and those that truly care about people. If you are a nurse, you must have failed your psych rotation.
 
nurse137
Comments: 22
Joined: 04/14/2007
05/11/2007 08:49:41 PM
Some of you people scare ME!
 
Ima D Scamp
Comments: 286
Joined: 08/30/2006
05/11/2007 08:47:57 PM
Having known many pastors and Christian leaders in my lifetime, I do know that they deal with many stressing factors, moreso than the core population. I am not making excuses or condoning his actions, but ALL men fight those demons during mid-life crisis. Some succumb to them, hopint that they can quell the overriding physical desires that disturb them by being covert in hopefully squashing them. Unfortunately he is one of the unlucky ones that just got caught! Many are never suspected. Some are disclosed later in life and the info raises it's ugly head to haunt them for the rest of their lives. I agree with Ringgoldone......." he who is without sin, let him cast the first stone."....... that IS Biblical. Pray for all of those affected by his actions, which includes the parishoners, family, wife, parents and the community in general. However, most of all him..... the leader and the pastor.
God Bless and Happy Mother's Day!
Another opinion and observation from afar, as usual!
 
msla
Comments: 571
Joined: 12/29/2005
05/11/2007 06:05:19 AM
This is my perspective as a Christian: Bottom line is that he's innocent until he's proven guilty. After that, if you're a Christian, you are supposed to admonish one another. But that doesn't mean that you should be cruel about it. We're supposed to do it in a loving manner. That can be difficult at times but not impossible. I think if you calm down, it's a lot easier.
As for the home church accepting his actions and keeping him as a leader, that is up to them since he is held to a higher standard as a leader. Even if he is no longer in a position of leadership now, he was at the time and that means his actions do have heavier consequences. But they still need to forgive him.
The church as a broad sense should forgive and probably will faster than he thinks. As already pointed out, we make mistakes all our lives and need the love, help, and support of one another. I am a realist and know there will always be those who are mean-spirited. But that would be their own problem and not his. Most of us do things that need forgiveness all the time.
 
ringgoldone
Comments: 627
Joined: 07/24/2006
05/11/2007 05:30:52 AM
Matthew 7:1-5
Do not judge, so that you won't be judged. For with the judgment you use, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye but don't notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, "Let me take the speck out of your eye", and look, there is a log in your eye? Hypocrite! First take the log out of your eye, and then you will clearly see to take the speck out of your brother's eye.
 
jaydubya
Comments: 193
Joined: 11/05/2006
05/10/2007 11:15:27 PM
Should a person be cast into the pit of fire for one mistake? For one lapse in judgement. No one was hurt, no one died and after all it is a misdemeanor. Not that I condone paying for the attention of a stranger. Does the fact that someone has lead a good life and made a bad decision render him unworthy of living? I suppose your children never made a mistake. They never broke a window even though they were told not to play in the house. Well according to your standards your children should be locked up. Maybe you are perfect and never made a mistake. But what I am saying, unless you know 100% what was said and done and have heard the tapes and watched the video then you are just flapping your jaws about pronouncing guilt of anyone. And yes I do have empathy for this man. Empathy means that I have an objective awareness or insight into the feelings and emotions that this man is going through. Is he upset, I would think so. Is he concerned about what is going to happen to him, I would think so. Is he hurt by what people say about him, I would think so. Is he sick at his stomach with worry, I would think so. Is he losing sleep form worry, I would think so. So yes, I have empathy for him. No, I haven't been in this exact spot, but I have made bad decisions in my 50 years on earth. I'm not perfect like romegasir and nurse137. I am so glad we have them to hand down judgement on those of us less perfect people. What is the saying, judge not least ye be judged. Why is it that we are so quick to judge and not sit back and wait to see how things work out. I don't think the 9/11 hijackers and this situation have anything in common. I don't see the correlation therefore it is a mute point. Stay on task, don't stray. For all I know, this is just gossip. I know nothing for a fact. The one fact I do know, is I don't believe everything I read in the paper or hear on TV. Only a fool would do that. And I don't let the court of public opinion form my opinion. Some of you scare me.

 
romegasir
Comments: 1608
Joined: 03/14/2007
05/09/2007 02:09:16 PM
of course they are not newsworthy.......the arrest is public information and anyone can find out who it was.......I'm sure if Air Force One went down we'd hear very little about the pilots and much more about the President....It's called NEWS.
The only way I would be on the side of the pastor is IF the chattanooga PD is the dumbest PD on earth and ran a John Sting without having the purported prostitutes wired for sound and video. Otherwise, I hardly think that the irreverent Reverend deserves my empathy. I have empathy for his wife and children, but not for him simply because he has a wife and child, that makes no sense.

By the WAY, I have no empathy for the 9/11 hijackers, even though they were humans.
 
maggie
Comments: 1554
Joined: 01/08/2006
05/09/2007 12:21:29 PM
No, emphathy because he is innocent until proven guilty and if he is innocent, this has hurt his credibility as a pastor and if he is guilty, then his days as a pastor are over. Empathy because he has a wife and children and they have to hear and see all of this. Empahty because he is human.

Ringgoldone is right, where is all the publicity about the others caught in the sting? Guess they aren't newsworthy because they aren't pastors.

Nurse137, you never answered the question, have you or have you not heard the tape and seen the video? If you don't have absolute proof, then don't be so quick to condemn.
 
ringgoldone
Comments: 627
Joined: 07/24/2006
05/09/2007 11:38:01 AM
If the press is going to reveal the livelihood of one of those caught in the sting, they ought to have to do it for all of them. It may not be news, but it would be fair.
 
nurse137
Comments: 22
Joined: 04/14/2007
05/09/2007 08:14:32 AM
I have empathy for his church but NOT him.
 
romegasir
Comments: 1608
Joined: 03/14/2007
05/09/2007 07:17:04 AM
Empathy for what? I should feel sorry for him because he was caught trying to pay for sex with some scumbag street tramp?
 
jaydubya
Comments: 193
Joined: 11/05/2006
05/08/2007 11:01:18 PM
Well nurse, have you see the VIDEO or heard the TAPE? If you know 100% what is on the video or tape and are witness to how it was obtained then speak sister. If not then keep your pious reactions to yourself. If you really are a nurse then where is your empathy for this man and his family? Quit stirring the pot.
 
maggie
Comments: 1554
Joined: 01/08/2006
05/08/2007 12:50:37 PM
They say they have him on tape, have you seen it? As for no laws, well of course we need laws. I don't agree with making drugs or prostitution legal. Again, he is innocent until proven guilty and if he is guilty he will pay for what he did. Let's let our legal system do its job and see what happens. Don't be so quick to condemn someone, because of what you read or hear.
 
romegasir
Comments: 1608
Joined: 03/14/2007
05/08/2007 12:43:17 PM
Nurse, have you ever not molested a child simply because it was illegal? If they made it legal would you go do it? I'm sure your answers are no and no. Do you think anyone has ever said, "I'd love to shoot four people in the courthouse and kill them, but dang it, I can't, because possession of firearms is illegal in the courthouse."
 
nurse137
Comments: 22
Joined: 04/14/2007
05/08/2007 12:36:59 PM
 
nurse137
Comments: 22
Joined: 04/14/2007
05/08/2007 12:36:34 PM
Well ......then why have any laws at all if doesn't stop people from doing it. Lets just forgive them all and pay all thier court and lawyer fees and lay off all law enforcement. They have him on VIDEO and TAPE how much more guilty can you be.
 
romegasir
Comments: 1608
Joined: 03/14/2007
05/08/2007 12:28:40 PM
everyone pays for it.....men and women....in one way or another. I do agree with Naturalist, again, on prostitution. It should be legal as it is in many overseas countries, that I have been to. The government regulates it, tests the women, etc etc......Same reason I believe drugs should be legal......I'd rather DOW chemical get the money for meth sales than Bubba, G-Money or K-Pasa. This case in particular, with such a law-abiding, christian man, proves that making something illegal does not stop people from using/doing it.
 
maggie
Comments: 1554
Joined: 01/08/2006
05/08/2007 12:08:58 PM
I don't think that anyone has said soliciting a prositute is not wrong. Only that he is innocent until proven guilty. Yes he is a PASTOR as you said and should be a role model, but then again all Christians are called to be role models. However, just as anyone else, he is human and humans make mistakes and do stupid things. Have you ever heard of forgiveness? He has not been accused of molesting children or anything remotely like that. Prostitution is against the law, but the only thing different between a prostitute and women who are sleeping with every man they date is one gets paid and the other doesn't.
 
nurse137
Comments: 22
Joined: 04/14/2007
05/08/2007 09:56:35 AM
Well the wonderful Pastor Moore should have thought twice before soliciting a prostitute. Come on people he is a PASTOR and should be a role model.
TheNaturalist.........yes what he did IS wrong.........thats why it is against the law!!!!!!!! and there is a difference in having a healthy sex drive and commiting illegal sex acts. So I guess since some men choose to have sex with underage children we should over look it and not judge or shame them because they just have a sex drive.
romegasir..........maybe he will get of on a technicality and spend the rest of his life preaching in Rome to your children or grandchildren.
 
romegasir
Comments: 1608
Joined: 03/14/2007
05/07/2007 08:03:02 PM
I hope he gets off on a technicality and then spends his life preaching about the evils of undercover stings.
 
concerned1
Comments: 13
Joined: 12/06/2006
05/04/2007 08:14:22 AM
I TOTALLY agree, NOBODY is perfect!
 
maggie
Comments: 1554
Joined: 01/08/2006
05/03/2007 08:46:31 PM
exactly
 
maggie
Comments: 1554
Joined: 01/08/2006
05/03/2007 01:34:05 PM
Well, maybe he doesn't go there anymore, but I think he did at one time and I agree, I hope he is not charging him his usual fee. All lawyer fees are way too high in my estimation!!! Yes, I agree if he did what he is accused of, then it would be better to admit it and move on. If and I say if, it turns out he is guilty, then I hope people will realize he is human and it doesn't matter whether he is a pastor or not, all humans make mistakes and have weaknesses.
 
concerned1
Comments: 13
Joined: 12/06/2006
05/03/2007 08:30:18 AM
I've never seen Ken Poston there but maybe he does go there. I think that's fine that he has legal representation and I hope Ken is doing it as a friend and brother in Christ and not charging him his normal fees! I think Steve is a great guy!! All I'm saying is that if he's guilty he needs to admit it. All the Ringgold pastors better stay out of Chattanooga, the police department must be out to get them, and they even got undercover cops and AUDIO and VIDEO to help them catch them...
 
maggie
Comments: 1554
Joined: 01/08/2006
05/03/2007 08:13:35 AM
You are assuming he is guilty of what he is accused of. Do you have some kind of proof? Last time I checked a person is innocent until proven guilty. Ken also goes to Church at Ringgold Methodist and perhaps he went to Steve as a friend and brother in Christ. I think he made a wise decision to have legal representation.
 
concerned1
Comments: 13
Joined: 12/06/2006
05/03/2007 08:09:14 AM
Ken Poston loves to be high profile. Unless Ken is mainly doing this to promote himself and not charging Steve the full price, Steve will come out a lot better just paying the fine!!. It's a Misdemeanor, the penalty is not that bad and it's really making him look worse than even the crime/sin is if he tries to deny it. I think MOST people realize Nobody is perfect, he's human, and he messed up. I don't think what he did was right and he is paying a bigger penalty right now than the court will give him. He's humiliated, his family is humiliated, and Steve loves his family so I'm sure he's really sorry for doing that to them, and by not having his job any longer (which I agree with), he's losing his financial stability. I don't care how good Ken Poston is, he won't be able to stop those penalties--actually I think he's making most of those worse!
 
TheNaturalist
Comments: 128
Joined: 05/23/2006
05/02/2007 03:16:14 PM
Let me clarify: what he did (if he did is) is not wrong, it's just a different choice then I would make. Breaking a promise to his wife is wrong, but that's a different matter. Women's bodies are thier own property and as far as I'm concerned they can sell access to it if they want. Men's bodies are thier own and if they want to run the risk of disease and jepordize thier families, they may pay for sex if they like. There's no reason to forbid that by law. The only problems I see are:

1) this guy's private business is now a matter of public record
2) the prostitutes aren't protected from abuse by pimps and violent johns because prostitution is criminalized
3) people who get services from prostitues have no way to know if they are healthy. They are going to do it anyway, so this promotes the spread of veneral diseases.
4) the public doesn't benefit from taxes collected on this illegal commerce

European socialists get a lot of things wrong, but legalizing and regulating prostitution was not one of them.
 
romegasir
Comments: 1608
Joined: 03/14/2007
05/02/2007 02:52:03 PM
It's society's fault: It's the dirty police department; The newspapers made it up for a story; He's really a good person, don't pay attention to his deeds; He's no worse than the rest of us.
I would comment but I think y'all have covered all the cliche, blame-other, no responsibility statements that I could have thought of. I read Bill O'Reilly's new book just to say I had read it when discussing it with others, His description of secular-progressives fits exactly what you all are saying. WAIT!!!!!!!!! I thought of one that you guys forgot........."Maybe he can help others by speaking to youth groups about the evils of prostitution."
 
concerned1
Comments: 13
Joined: 12/06/2006
05/02/2007 11:26:30 AM
I agree with JamesW "Let the Person Without Sin Cast The First Stone", not sure I agree with Maggie on "I don't believe any of this". I don't believe Steve is even trying to deny this happened, however, I know Steve and he is a good person and I guess he just has some issues he needs to get through (like we all do) and I'm sure God will help him and his family through this. Everybody needs to pray for him and his family.
 
concerned1
Comments: 13
Joined: 12/06/2006
05/02/2007 11:21:42 AM
I agree with JamesW, not sure I agree with Maggie on "I don't believe any of this". I don't believe Steve is even trying to deny this happened, however, I know Steve and he is a good person and I guess he just has some issues he needs to get through (like we all do) and I'm sure God will help him and his family through this. Everybody needs to pray for him and his family.
 
TheNaturalist
Comments: 128
Joined: 05/23/2006
05/02/2007 09:16:08 AM
Even if he is guilty, that doesn't make him a bad person. Personally, I'd never pick up a prostitute off of the street (gross!) but there's no accounting for taste. I believe that people resort to prostitues because we have a society that punishes and shames people for having a sex drive.
 
maggie
Comments: 1554
Joined: 01/08/2006
05/02/2007 08:59:35 AM
JamesW, I am with you on this. I too know Steve and he is a good man and I don't believe any of this and I also know that what is in the newspaper and on TV is not always the truth. I also know that police are not always truthful and honest. Also, just because someone is arrested and charged with a crime, doesn't mean they are guilty.
 
JamesW
Comments: 1
Joined: 05/02/2007
05/02/2007 08:02:32 AM
Be very cautious before condemning Rev. Moore. I have known Steve for many years, and working for EMS, I have worked side by side with him on many emergency scenes. I have seen Steve take a child in his arms and comfort him as we performed CPR on that child's parent. I personally have had him by my side at the hospital when I myself became a patient. He has a very gentle nature, and is as solid a citizen as Catoosa County has ever had. He has done more for the citizens of Catoosa County, and your fire department than any news reporter or Chattanooga Vice Squad Member will ever do.
To those that would condemn him I have the words of the Supreme Judge to say to you...
"Let those without sin cast the first stone."
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