Jeremiah Swaw

Introduction

Jeremiah Swaw is a 38-year-old from Cadiz, Kentucky, who worked as the acting Next Generation Youth Pastor at Hillcrest Baptist Church in Hopkinsville until his August 2026 arrest on a grooming charge. Swaw was arrested by the Cadiz Police Department following an investigation into allegations of inappropriate behavior with a 16-year-old girl, and he was charged under Kentucky’s newly created grooming law — a Class D felony that took effect on July 1, 2026. Hillcrest Baptist Church terminated him immediately upon learning of the arrest, making the case one of the first tests of the state’s new statute and, according to Cadiz police, the first time the department has ever charged anyone with grooming.

Background Information

Swaw was employed as a Next Generation pastor at Hillcrest Baptist Church in Hopkinsville, a role in which he worked with the congregation’s young people, according to a statement from the church. He was 38 years old and lived in Cadiz, in neighboring Trigg County, at the time of his arrest. The charge against him arose under Kentucky’s grooming law, which was established during the 2026 legislative session and went into effect on July 1 after being signed by Governor Andy Beshear. Under the law, grooming is defined as “a course of conduct directed at a minor that is intended to establish an emotional connection with a minor through manipulation, trust-building, or influence to facilitate future acts of sexual conduct or normalize or desensitize the minor to acts of sexual conduct.” The statute gives Kentucky prosecutors a targeted tool for conduct that precedes — and is intended to enable — sexual offenses against minors, rather than requiring charges to wait for those offenses themselves.

The Controversy or Incident That Led to Their Cancellation

Allegations. Swaw has been charged with grooming, a Class D felony. The allegations described here are charges and police statements, not established facts; he has not been tried, and he is presumed innocent. The alleged victim is not named here because she is a minor.

According to a report from WKDZ Radio cited by WSMV, Cadiz Police Chief Tyler Thomas said Swaw was arrested on a Monday — booked into the Christian County Jail on August 17, 2026, per WHOP — following an investigation into allegations of inappropriate behavior with a 16-year-old girl. WKDZ reported that the alleged victim was a member of Hillcrest Baptist Church, the congregation where Swaw served as youth pastor. After police questioned Swaw, he was charged with grooming under the new statute. Chief Thomas told WKDZ that the charge is a Class D felony, but that more charges are possible as the investigation continues. WHOP reported that the case came to light through a letter posted by Hillcrest Baptist Church, which disclosed that Swaw had turned himself in to authorities in Cadiz in connection with an investigation into alleged illegal acts involving minors.

Public Reaction and Consequences

The church moved within a day of learning about the arrest. Hillcrest said Thursday that its leaders had been notified Swaw turned himself in on Monday for “an alleged illegal and immoral act with a minor,” and that following the notification he was immediately fired and prohibited from contacting church youth and from participating in church-sponsored events. In its public letter, the church addressed the congregation’s safety directly: “Hillcrest has always taken the physical, spiritual and emotional safety of those in our care, especially our young people, with the utmost concern. That continues to remain of primary importance.” Hillcrest also stated that, to its knowledge, the reported offenses did not happen on church property. Beyond the congregation, the case drew regional attention because of the statute involved: citing Chief Thomas, WKDZ reported that Swaw is the first person to be charged with grooming by the Cadiz Police Department, making the new law’s first local application a matter of public record within weeks of its July 1 effective date.

Current Status

Swaw was booked into the Christian County Jail on August 17, 2026, and has since been released. The grooming charge — a Class D felony under Kentucky law — remains pending, and Chief Thomas has said more charges are possible as the investigation continues. WSMV reported that it reached out to the Cadiz Police Department for more information as the case developed. He is presumed innocent of the charge, and no conviction has been entered.

Impact on Their Career/Life

The arrest ended Swaw’s role at Hillcrest Baptist Church immediately: the church terminated him as acting Next Generation Youth Pastor the same week he turned himself in, and it has barred him from any contact with the church’s youth and from participation in church-sponsored activities. The church’s public letter, posted in Hopkinsville, formalized the separation and framed the congregation’s continuing commitment to youth safety. Legally, Swaw faces a Class D felony conviction if found guilty of grooming, with the possibility of additional charges under the still-open investigation — and as the first person charged with grooming by the Cadiz Police Department, his case will likely set the local precedent for how the new statute is applied.