Accused Minister Appears in Court

Twenty-nine-year-old Jonathan Hartman didn't have anything to say Monday afternoon when he walked out the Johnson County court room. But, a probable cause outlines disturbing details of sexual relationships he confessed to having with three teenagers, at least one was as young as 13.

Hartman was a youth minister and conducted music lessons at the Salvation Army Church in Greenwood where he met two of the victims. His secret life was exposed when a 15-year-old girl came forward to police. She said she and Hartman had sex 30 times in the nursery and chapel before she ended up pregnant. Prosecutors plan to prove Hartman wanted her to have an abortion.

"At some point purchase vitamins and maybe some other drugs to try maybe help induce an abortion and did call at least one or two people asking for tips on the procedures to get an abortion for a child that was underage without parental consent." Doug Cummins, Deputy Prosecutor.


The probable cause also reveals Hartman's desire to hurt one of the victims after she made a police report. He's caught saying, "I want to see someone kidnap her, kill her, dig a hole, put gasoline over her, light a fire, and once it it done burning to cover the hole. That would be my perfect solution to this problem."

Those comments prompted prosecutors to increase Hartman's bond to $500,000 with hopes that will keep him behind bars until his trial.