Victory Church leaders resign after youth pastor son admits plans to meet with minor in video

Victory Church in East Palatka, Florida, is now looking for a new pastor after their recently installed senior pastor, Steve Roberts, and his wife, Angie, resigned following the release of a video showing their youth pastor and son, Caleb Roberts, confessing to sending sexually explicit photos online to someone he thought was a teenage girl.

“After much prayer and careful consideration, we want to share that Pastor Steve and Angie Roberts have stepped down from their roles at Victory Church, effective immediately,” the church announced in a statement published on Facebook Tuesday.

“Recent circumstances have brought deep sorrow to many within our church and our community. While we are limited in what we can share at this time, we want to speak clearly about our hearts. We grieve whenever trust is broken and when people are hurt, and we take these matters with the utmost seriousness,” the statement continued without referring to the video.

“We want to state plainly that there is no place in the Body of Christ for sexual misconduct or the abuse of trust in any form. Such actions are contrary to the character of Christ and inconsistent with the values we are called to uphold as His church.”

Victory Church did not respond to calls for additional comment from The Christian Post on Wednesday.

The nearly 15-minute video was posted on YouTube by Operation 17:2, a nonprofit organization founded by former professional MMA fighter Garrett Gross. The organization is dedicated to exposing and stopping child predators.

It shows Gross walking into a local CVS in Florida and finding 25-year-old Caleb Roberts in the “Cookies and Crackers” aisle. The youth pastor said he was there to meet a friend. Gross then asks him to step outside after identifying himself and explaining what he did, and stated that he needed to make sure he was “not a threat” because he was trying to arrange sex with a minor online.

Roberts replied, “I’m a youth pastor, sir. I wouldn’t do anything like that.”

Gross further asks if he was the person talking to his “decoy” and Roberts told him he was trying to frame him. Roberts eventually tried to walk away as Gross confronted him, and Gross then threatened to call the police. The youth pastor then stopped and stated he didn’t want cops involved and asked Gross what he wanted him to do. Gross told him he wanted him to confess that he sent “d— pics” to someone he believed was a 14-year-old girl and “had intent to have sex with her.”

Roberts apologized for doing the wrong thing.

“I’ll admit right now, I’m in the wrong, sir, [for] sending d— pics to who I thought was a 14-year-old girl,” the former youth pastor said. “I just got lustful, that’s all.”

He was then asked why he would want to have sex with a 14-year-old, and he replied, “I don’t know. I’m an idiot.”

“Honestly, I’m a good guy. I just sometimes get these thoughts in my head, honestly. I just want to do the right thing,” he said.

Roberts explained that he was also getting counseling for the thoughts in his head, and when asked if he was getting counseling for pedophilia, he admitted it is a “problem.” He was eventually left in the hands of police officers at the end of the video.

Gross further shared chat logs he alleged were written by Caleb Roberts. 

Gross said in a statement on Facebook on April 6 that a judge denied the police department a warrant to seize the former youth pastor’s phone because “our evidence isn’t credible because of AI advancements.”

“We have reached the point where a grown man can show up, on video, admit he came to meet a 14-year-old for sex, and instead of action we get ‘AI might make this unreliable,” Gross wrote.

“That’s a complete collapse of common sense. If real-time video, a direct confession, and a physical encounter aren’t enough to even justify a warrant, then the standard isn’t higher…. it’s nonexistent. All you’ve done is create a loophole big enough for every predator to hide behind. This isn’t protecting justice, it’s protecting offenders…. It’s cowardice.”

He further stated that local police told him they “are still actively working the case.”

Matt Newcomb, assistant chief of the Palatka Police Department, confirmed with CP on Wednesday that the case is still under investigation.

“We are currently investigating the incident and are working with the State Attorney’s Office on the case,” Newcomb said.

According to an archived bio on Steve and Angie Roberts, they started working with the church in April 2025, “bringing with them nearly three decades of ministry experience.”

“Since 1996, they’ve faithfully served together, impacting churches of various sizes and communities with heartfelt dedication. At the core of their ministry is a genuine love for God and a deep commitment to caring for people,” the bio said, noting the couple’s nearly 30 years of marriage.

“Their family is excited to be part of Victory and looks forward to building meaningful relationships and serving the community with passion and purpose,” it added.

The church has replaced that bio with a message stating: “We are currently praying and beginning the search for a new pastor.”