Missouri Baptist pastor sentenced to 20 years for child sex-abuse

By Hannah Elliott - Associated Baptist Press
January 18, 2007

  Shawn Davies, a 33-year-old former music and youth minister, was sentenced Jan. 12 to 20 years in prison for molesting children at First Baptist Church of Greenwood, Mo.

He  was convicted of 25 counts of abuse dating from 2003. Charges included statutory sodomy, furnishing pornographic material to minors, supplying liquor to minors, sexual misconduct with a child under the age of 14, use of a child in sexual performance and endangering the welfare of a child.

Davies was earlier convicted of molesting children at three Kentucky Baptist churches. He had been serving jail time in Kentucky when authorities returned him to Jackson County, Mo., last year.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 

Samuel & Lindsey Porter

Saturday June 5, 2004, was an ideal day in Independence, Missouri. The sky was robin-egg-blue and the air was pleasantly warm. Daniel Porter pulled up in front of the house to pick up his children, Lindsey and Samuel. Both children were excited about spending part of the weekend with their father. Tina Porter had some reservations about the visit, but the separation and pending divorce were affecting the children. She hoped their seeing him would help. As Lindsey and Samuel piled into their father's car, Tina reminded her estranged husband to return them by 6 p.m. Sunday. She watched as they drove away.

Sometime around midnight that Saturday, Dan left Tina a text message on her computer, telling her how to find a note hidden behind a gas station. Tina and her sister rushed to the designated place and located the note. It informed her that the children were with a family who would take care of them until "all the calls and visits are over". When the two women returned to Tina's home, another text message was discovered. It said the children were at a Hampton Inn near Liberty, Missouri. The two women rushed out again, only to discover that Dan and the children were not there. The two concerned women went to the Independence police. The police told them they could do nothing because the children were not due to be returned until that Sunday evening. "They were still married," said Independence Police Department Sergeant Dennis Green. "He still had as much right to those children as she did."

For the next several hours, Dan repeatedly sent threatening text messages to his wife.  He also called her with suicidal threats. When Dan had not returned the children by the agreed upon time, Tina went back to the police and was told again to allow Dan time to return the children. She left in frustration. On Monday morning the authorities issued and alert for Dan and the children. That evening Dan was stopped by the highway patrol as a DUI suspect. He was released the next morning. Two days later his pickup truck was spotted and authorities shot out his tires as he tried to flee. He was apprehended and arrested. The authorities knew that Dan was a convicted felon and possible kidnapper. The Independence police were immediately notified. When he was questioned on the whereabouts of Lindsey and Samuel, Dan claimed that he knew nothing and gave the police a series of bizarre stories. A search was initiated for the missing children. "He's indicated that they're still alive and that basically, he's in control of this," said Green. "We did everything we possibly could to work this case in a timely manner." Further searches failed to reveal the whereabouts of the Lindsey and Samuel.

Tina visited Dan at the jail and asked him where her children were.  She told authorities that "He keeps saying 'The kids are right there. Why can't you find them?' "  When Tina asked Dan why he was doing this and when would she get the children back, she said he would reply "The only way I can hurt you is to keep the children from you. You'll never see them again." Dan Porter still refuses to cooperate with law enforcement authorities and remains under arrest. The FBI is aiding in the investigation of the case. On June 25^th Dan was indicted on two counts of parental kidnapping and federal charges of felonious possession of firearms.