A rural Albert man and former pastor arrested last Thursday on a child pornography charge remains in the Barton County Jail in lieu of a $50,000 bond, Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir said.

Terry Dean Ruebush, 56, was arrested on one count of sexual exploitation of a child, according to documents filed in the Barton County Clerk of the District Court’s Office. His first appearance was Friday and his preliminary hearing has been set for 3 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, in Barton County District Court.

The arrest warrant signed and issued last Wednesday states that on or about June 15, 2015, in Barton County, Ruebush “did unlawfully and feloniously possess a photograph, film, video picture, digital or computer-generated image or picture, whether made or produced by electronic or mechanical or other means, which visually depicts a child under 18 years of age who is shown or heard engaging in sexually explicit conduct, with the intent to arose or satisfy the sexual desires or appeals to the prurient interest of the defendant.” This is a severity level five person felony.

Bellendir said a search warrant was executed at Ruebush’s home in June following a tip from the Cyber Crimes Unit in Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office. The delay in the arrest was due to the time it took for the forensic analysis of Ruebush’s computer.

Ruebush sought and was granted a court-appointed attorney. He will be represented by Robert Anderson of Ellinwood.

In the financial affidavit Ruebush filed applying for attorney services, he notes he is currently unemployed. He states that he was most recently employed by the Topeka-based Seventh Day Adventist Kansas-Northeast Conference, leaving the job four months ago.

Ruebush was serving as a pastor at the Great Bend Seventh Day Adventist Church. The church also operates a school for grades kindergarten through eighth.

“It is sad and unfortunate,” said John Sweigart, the conference’s vice president for administration. But, “nothing happened at the churches or at the schools. It was on his home computer.”

Ruebush covered churches in Great Bend, Bazine and LaCrosse, as well as schools at Great Bend and Hays (sponsored by the LaCrosse church).

Sweigart said the Barton County Sheriff’s Office has pursued this matter for several months. When authorities searched his home in June, Ruebush called the conference office and resigned.

At that time, the church revoked his ministerial credentials.

“Everybody considered him a reasonably good pastor,” Sweigart said. There was nothing reported from congregation  members.

After the case came to light, the conference went through all the computers at churches and schools and found nothing, he said. 

“We really did want to make sure.”

Sweigart said the church provides counselling services to help people through difficult issues. “But people make decisions on their personal time.”