A Texarkana pastor accused of sexual misconduct by 13 alleged victims on both sides of the state line is back in custody.
Logan Wesley III, 56, is being held in the Bowie County jail on $1.25 million bond after a grand jury this month returned an indictment with 18 felony counts involving three different girls. He was originally arrested in November on a single felony charge involving one victim and was released after posting $100,000 bond shortly after.
During a hearing Monday, Judge John Tidwell refused to lower Wesley's new bail and release him on the earlier bond. Tidwell moved up the trial from August to May 4, the Texarkana Gazette reported.
Wesley is accused of using his status as pastor of a Texarkana, Arkansas, church to sexually abuse young girls.
First Assistant District Attorney Kelley Crisp said the three girls named in the Bowie County indictments are among the 13 alleged victims of sexual abuse whom she has identified and might call as witnesses at Wesley's trial. The girls are from Texas and Arkansas.
If Wesley is found guilty on the counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child under 14, he could be sentenced to between five to 99 years or life in prison. If found guilty on the counts of sexual assault of a child under 17 and indecency with a child by sexual contact, he faces two to 20 years in prison.
A pretrial hearing is scheduled for next month.
