NJ youth pastor admits to sexual chats with underage girls

NEWTON, N.J. (AP) - The former youth pastor of a northern New Jersey church has admitted having sexually explicit chats with juvenile girls on social media and possessing more than 100 images of child pornography.

Darryl Farrier was a youth pastor at Freedom Church in Oak Ridge when he was arrested last July. Authorities have said he claimed to be a 24-year-old man named Matt when he exchanged sexual messages via social media with a 15-year-old girl and sought to meet her.

Authorities say Farrier also tried to have sexual conversations online with several other underage girls and attempted to meet with two of them.

Sussex County prosecutors say Farrier pleaded guilty last week to child endangerment and child porn charges. The 38-year-old Franklin man faces a three-year prison term when he's sentenced June 6 and will have to register as a sex offender.