A former South Bend pastor has pleaded guilty to sexual crimes against a minor.
36-year-old Geoffrey Carter was arrested in November of 2024 on several charges including sexual battery and child seduction after an unidentified 17-year-old victim filed a report against him. He was charged with child exploitation, possession of child porn, sexual battery and child seduction.
Carter was formerly the director of the Children's Choir of Michiana, a recruitment director at Notre Dame, and pastor of Apostolic House of Deliverance on South Bend's west side.
According to court paperwork obtained by WNDU, the 17-year-old unnamed victim revealed to investigators that he was staying with Carter at his Mishawaka home.
The victim claimed they were awakened on Halloween morning after feeling someone rubbing their leg and "squeezing" their buttocks. They said they turned around and saw Carter in the bedroom, pulling his pants up and quickly hiding his phone.
They also reportedly observed a camera flash. The victim also indicated later seeing a video of Carter masturbating near them around the time this happened.
Court documents also noted how the victim knew the passcode to Carter's phone. He accessed it, looked through his camera roll and discovered numerous pictures and videos in the phone's hidden folder. That victim handed the phone to police as evidence.
A search warrant was executed on Carter's home, and more nude pictures and videos of the victim were reportedly discovered in Carter's phone from the bathroom. The video was consistent with the victim's allegations from Halloween morning. Officials also found a fake smoke detector and hidden camera in the home.
Carter told investigators that the victim was staying with him since October as "his mother" was having housing issues. He admitted to putting cameras in his bathroom and recording the naked victim. He also admitted to recording himself masturbating while standing over the victim.
