A Ruckersville pastor charged with sexually violating children has been released from jail on bond.
Rodney Martin Locklear, 47, was indicted in Madison County Circuit Court on March 4 on six crimes against children: abduction of a minor, sexually penetrating a minor with an object, three counts of indecent liberties with a child and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The charges stem from incidents that occurred in 2023, according to authorities.
In February, the Greene County Sheriff’s Office announced it was investigating Locklear after he was taken into custody and charged with abduction with intent to defile and two counts of aggravated sexual battery of a child between the ages of 13 and 14.
According to the Greene County Sheriff’s Office, Locklear led children’s Bible study classes at Victory Church on Wednesdays. He had been a pastor there for six years and, before that, a pastor at Abundant Life Church.
Last week, the Madison County Circuit Court approved a motion transferring the Madison cases to Greene County Circuit Court. Commonwealth’s attorney Clarissa Berry said this was done to prevent the victim from having to testify multiple times. Greene County Commonwealth’s Attorney Edwin Consolvo was appointed as a special prosecutor to the Madison cases. Madison County Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Wade Gelbert was approved as a special prosecutor in Greene.
Locklear’s three charges in the Greene County Circuit Court have been certified to the June 10 Greene County Grand Jury.
Locklear is currently out of jail on a $20,000 secured bond. He was previously being held at the Central Virginia Regional Jail in Orange. Per the terms of the bond, he must remain in his home except for court proceedings and probation meetings; is on GPS monitoring; can have no contact with the victim or their family, household members or witness; cannot have any contact with a minor other than his son; can have no firearms or destructive devices in the home; cannot consume alcohol, drugs, marijuana or its derivatives; and cannot be on the internet or possess internet-connected devices.
An investigation is ongoing. The Greene County Sheriff’s Office encourages anyone with information regarding Locklear to contact authorities at (434) 939-7914 or (434) 566-2813.
Source: www.dailyprogress.com
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