House of Prayer Christian Church Pastor Indicted for Enticement and Sexual Abuse of a Minor

SAVANNAH, GA- A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Georgia, indicted a pastor connected to the House of Prayer Christian Church of America (HOPCC) for various sex offenses involving a minor.

On September 10, 2025, a federal court unsealed a five-count indictment.  The indictment charges:

BERNADEL SEMEXANT, age 35, of Hinesville and Savannah, Georgia, with Enticement of a Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity, Sexual Abuse of a Minor, Transfer of Obscene Material to a Minor, Receipt of Child Pornography, and Possession of Child Pornography.

“Our law enforcement partners work relentlessly to protect our most vulnerable citizens from harm and exploitation,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “This indictment demonstrates the continued success of those efforts.”

“The allegations in this indictment reflect a profound betrayal of trust by an individual in a position of spiritual authority. The FBI is committed to pursuing those who exploit children and ensuring they are held accountable”, said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta.  “We urge anyone with information about Pastor Semexant or others in positions of trust within HOPCC to come forward—your voice matters, and you may help protect other potential victims.”

The maximum penalties for Enticement of a Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity are not less than 10 and up to life imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and not less than 5 years of supervised release.

The maximum penalties for Sexual Abuse of a Minor are up to 15 years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and not less than 5 years of supervised release.

The maximum penalties for Transfer of Obscene Material to a Minor are up to 10 years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and not less than 3 years of supervised release.

The maximum penalties for Receipt of Child Pornography are up to 20 years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and not less than 5 years of supervised release.

The maximum penalties for Possession of Child Pornography are up to 20 years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and not less than 5 years of supervised release.

Each count also requires registration as a sex offender and mandatory restitution.

Pastor Bernadel Junior Semexant may have worked at multiple HOPCC locations around the United States. HOPCC has locations in the following areas: Hephzibah, Georgia; Hinesville, Georgia; Savannah, Georgia; Fayetteville, North Carolina; Tacoma, Washington; Waco, Texas; and Clarksville, Tennessee; among others.

If you and/or your minor dependent(s) are actively being victimized, please immediately notify local law enforcement or call 911.

The FBI and the United States Attorneys Office are seeking additional information.  If you and/or your minor dependent(s) have information concerning Pastor Bernadel Junior Semexant or any other individual serving in a position of trust for HOPCC, or have any information relevant to this investigation, please fill out this short form at https://fbi.gov/SEMEXANTHOPCC.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Assistant United States Attorneys Frank M. Pennington, II and Sherri A. Stephan are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.