A 39-year-old LaFayette man, who is a former youth minister, has been arrested for allegedly fondling a 15-year-old girl in 2009.

According to LaFayette Police Department reports:

Ronald Lee Howard Jr. of 404 Hill Ave., Apt. A, was arrested at his residence shortly after 3 p.m. Monday, Feb. 13, and charged with child molestation. He was released the next day on $5,000 bond.

The Walker County Sheriff’s Office coordinated the investigation with the LaFayette Police Department, since the crime, which occurred in 2009, was in the county. LaFayette police detective Stacy Meeks and sheriff’s detective Sgt. Billy Davis worked the case together.

At the time of his arrest Monday, Howard had his bags packed. He claimed to have just returned from a trip. Meeks said he believed Howard “might have been attempting to flee.”

Howard, during a 90-minute interview last week with authorities, confessed to the crime, Meeks said.

A few weeks ago, the girl told LaFayette High School principal Mike Culberson that she had been molested by Howard when she was younger. Culberson then told Cpl. Billy Mullis, student resource officer at the school, that the student said “a youth pastor at her church had touched her inappropriately on several occasions.”

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