US: Former Exodus International President Alan Chambers Tries To Solicit 14-Year-Old Boy for S*x; Arrested
Alan Chambers, a former leader of the conversion therapy ministry Exodus International who later disavowed the practice, was arrested in Orange County, Florida. He faces charges including soliciting a minor via computer after an online sting operation where he allegedly attempted to arrange a s*xual encounter with an undercover detective.
A Florida businessman who once led a prominent national conversion therapy ministry before later disavowing the practice has been arrested following an undercover online sting operation. Alan Chambers, 54, was apprehended on Tuesday, May 19, by the Orange County Sheriff's Office on allegations that he repeatedly attempted to arrange a s*xual encounter with an undercover detective posing as a 14-year-old boy.
The Online Investigation and Arrest
According to an arrest affidavit obtained from the sheriff's office, investigators initiated a multi-month operation in February after establishing contact with Chambers on the social media application Snapchat, where the undercover officer explicitly identified as a 14-year-old minor. The correspondence later migrated to the messaging platform Telegram, during which Chambers allegedly transmitted explicit text messages and explicit photographs containing his face and body. US Shocker: Washington Teacher Admits to Having S*x With High School Student After Husband Discovers Conversation With Victim; Arrested.
The affidavit states that Chambers expressed interest in meeting the purported teenager for physical contact on multiple occasions while simultaneously voicing concerns regarding detection and the age difference, at one point asking, "Is it bad that I want to make love to someone who is 14?” Detectives noted that Chambers suggested an in-person meeting in April near his office in Winter Park, Florida.
Law enforcement officials stopped Chambers during a traffic stop on Tuesday morning near Aloma Avenue, where he confirmed ownership of the social media accounts but terminated the interview when questioned about the specific contents of the conversations. He was subsequently booked into the Orange County Jail on charges of solicitation of a minor via computer, transmission of material harmful to minors, and unlawful use of a two-way communication device.
Corporate and Community Fallout
Following his arrest, Chambers appeared before an Orange County judge on Wednesday afternoon, where his bond was set at USD 15,000. Chambers posted the required amount and was released from custody under strict conditions, which include a total prohibition on contact with minors, restriction from social media platforms, and internet access permitted solely for professional obligations. Chambers had been serving as an executive for a local clothing company and previously held the position of president for the Park Avenue District, a prominent Winter Park business association.
Following the public disclosure of the criminal charges, the Park Avenue District issued a formal statement announcing that Chambers is no longer associated with the organisation. "While this matter is unrelated to the organization or its work, we take situations involving allegations of this nature extremely seriously," the association stated, declining to comment further out of respect for the ongoing legal process. US Shocker: Former Kindergarten Teacher Becomes S*xually Involved With Teenager in Indiana, Pleads Guilty to Child Seduction.
Background and Leadership at Exodus International
Chambers previously maintained a high national profile as the president of Exodus International, an Orlando-based Christian umbrella organisation that spearheaded the "ex-gay" movement and advocated for conversion therapy - a controversial practice aimed at changing an individual's s*xual orientation or gender identity. In 2012, Chambers publicly renounced the ministry's core tenets, stating that the concept of altering one's s*xuality was ineffective and harmful. By 2013, he formally dissolved Exodus International after 37 years of operation, issuing a comprehensive apology to the LGBTQ+ community for the "undue suffering and judgment at the hands of the organization and the church as a whole." He later authored a book detailing his departure from the movement and delivered sermons at high-profile events, including a Pride celebration at the Washington National Cathedral in 2016. The Orange County Sheriff's Office has stated that the investigation remains active as detectives work to determine if there are any additional minor victims.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 23, 2026 11:31 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
