Filmore minister arraigned Wednesday for online sexual communication crimes
VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. – Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced Wednesday that Barry Fike of Filmore was arraigned on multiple felony counts for online sexual communications with someone he thought was a minor during a law enforcement sting operation.
Fike pled not guilty to those charges at his arraignment on Wednesday.
The Ventura County Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force arrested Fike on Jul. 17 of this year with assistance from Ventura County Sheriff's Office East County Sexual Assault Unit detail Ventura County District Attorney's Office (VCDAO).
According to VCDAO, that Task Force began investigating Fike on Jul. 10, 2023 when he allegedly began communicating online with what he believed to be a 15-year-old girl.
Those conversations were sexual in nature detail VCDAO, and Fike allegedly shared explicit photos with the person he believed to be an underage girl, who was actually an undercover officer.
The chatroom used by Fike to make those alleged communications did not have any safety features in place to verify a user's age or monitor communications share VCDAO.
“There are many chatrooms online that are not moderated or do not take any steps to limit adult contact with minors,” said Supervising District Attorney Investigator Terrance Dobrosky. “All too often, this exposes children to potential exploitation as predators take advantage of the limited oversight.”
Currently, Fike is in custody with bail set at $150,000 and is scheduled for an early disposition conference on Jul. 27, 2023 in Ventura County Superior Court.
The investigation into Fike is ongoing and anyone with additional information is asked to contact Supervising District Attorney Investigator Terrance Dobrosky at 805-383-4779.
Fike is a minister at Fillmore Church of Christ, previously taught at Oaks Christian High School, and was a visiting professor at Pepperdine but is not currently an instructor at the university detail VCDAO.
The charges brought against Fike at his arraignment on Wednesday were four counts of sending harmful matter to a child, one count of luring a child with the intent to commit a sexual offense, and one count of luring a child by arranging a meeting with a minor for a lewd purpose.
