American Dirty Old Paedophile and Baptist Pastor of Virginia Charged with Forcible Sodomy and Child Sexual Abuse

David Lawrence Schneider of has been arrested and charged with 19 counts of sexual abuse, including 10 counts of forcible sodomy and eight counts of indecent liberties with a child while in a custodial role. 

By Edward Era Barbacena 

A pastor who led a “generation of youth” in Virginia has been charged with 19 counts of sexual abuse, including 10 counts of forcible sodomy and eight counts of indecent liberties with a child while in a custodial role.

David Lawrence Schneider, of Farnham, Virginia was also charged on Aug. 9 with aggravated sexual battery, according to a press release by the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office in Warsaw. Schneider has been lead pastor of Fairport Baptist Church in Reedville, Virginia, since October 2022.

Schneider is being held on no bail and is scheduled to appear in court on Monday, a court clerk confirmed on Friday.

Schneider attended Liberty University, studied youth ministry, and worked at the YMCA in Lynchburg, according to an ordination sermon preached on Jan. 15, 2023, at the church in Reedville.

Repeated telephone calls to Fairport Baptist Church to inquire if Schneider remained as pastor were not returned.

According to a sermon on the church’s website, church leaders said Schneider had been “vetted.”

The 55-year-old man was described as having a background in special education, mental health, substance abuse counseling, and higher education, according to an audio recording of the sermon.

The church’s website does not list the church’s pastor’s name, but it was noted under a sermon posting that William Bowden and Deacon Warren Keyser filled in as pastor.

During Schneider’s ordination ceremony, a speaker mentioned Schneider had been a youth leader at Nomini Baptist Church in Montross, Virginia, and an interim pastor.

“An entire generation of youth at Nomino Baptist Church benefited from Dave’s youth ministry work,” the speaker says.

Repeated telephone calls to Nomino Baptist were not returned.

When Scheider assumed the position at Fairport, the Rappahannock Record reported Schneider “brings considerable experience working in numerous Christian ministries and other much-needed roles within the Northern Neck area.”

In addition to employment with the YMCA for Central Virginia, and teaching special education in both in Westmoreland and King George counties, Schneider also worked as a youth pastor for several Northern Neck area churches, the paper reported.

Telephone calls to the Baptist General Association of Virginia to clarify if Schneider is still pastor were not returned.