Wade Booth is a 70-year-old longtime Baptist pastor in Pleasanton, Kansas, who was arrested on August 31, 2026, and jailed on multiple felony sex-related charges. Booth has served as pastor of First Baptist Church of Pleasanton since 2007 and has worked in ministry in Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma for decades. Linn County booking information cited by local news outlets lists charges that include unlawful sexual relations involving a minor and witness intimidation. He was being held without bond as of September 1 while the criminal case remained at an early stage.
Wade Booth Arrest
Booth Was Arrested On August 31, 2026. Linn County jail records cited by KCTV show Booth was booked into custody at approximately 7 p.m. Monday evening. [KCTV] [KWCH]
Booth Was Being Held At The Linn County Sheriff’s Office. Current reporting says he remained in county custody following the arrest. [KCTV]
Booth Was Being Held Without Bond. No bail had been set in the publicly reported booking information as of September 1. [KCTV] [WIBW]
Charges Against Wade Booth
Booth Faces Multiple Felony Sex-Related Charges. News reports based on Linn County booking records describe several serious felony counts filed following his arrest. [KWCH]
The Charges Include Unlawful Sexual Relations Involving A Minor. KCTV reported that the jail booking information lists an offense involving unlawful sexual relations with a minor among the charges against Booth. [KCTV]
Booth Also Faces A Witness-Intimidation Charge. Current reporting says witness intimidation is among the offenses appearing in the booking record. [KCTV] [KY3]
Allegations Involving A Minor
The Publicly Reported Charges Indicate That At Least Part Of The Case Involves A Minor. The unlawful-sexual-relations charge cited in booking records concerns alleged conduct involving an underage person. [KCTV]
Authorities Have Not Yet Publicly Released A Detailed Account Of The Alleged Conduct. As of September 1, reporting does not identify the alleged victim’s age, gender, relationship to Booth, when the alleged conduct occurred, or whether the person had any connection to First Baptist Church.
The Basis For The Witness-Intimidation Charge Has Also Not Been Publicly Detailed. Current reporting does not establish whom Booth is accused of intimidating or what conduct allegedly led to that charge.
Wade Booth At First Baptist Church Of Pleasanton
Booth Has Served As Pastor Of First Baptist Church Since 2007. The church’s staff biography identifies him as its longtime pastor in Pleasanton. [First Baptist Church] [KCTV]
First Baptist Church Is An Independent Baptist Congregation. Public church listings identify the Pleasanton congregation as an independent Baptist church. [Church Directory]
The Church Had Not Issued A Public Response When The Arrest Was First Reported. KCTV said it contacted First Baptist Church for comment but had not received a response at publication time. [KCTV]
Wade Booth’s Ministry Background
Booth Graduated From Baptist Bible College In 1981. His church biography says he attended the school in Springfield, Missouri, after meeting his future wife there. [First Baptist Church]
Booth Previously Pastored Calvary Bible Baptist Church In Harper, Kansas. The church biography says he served there for approximately 12 years. [First Baptist Church]
Booth Later Worked As A Missionary Church Planter In Oklahoma. According to his biography, he helped start two churches in Oklahoma between 1997 and 2005 before moving to Pleasanton. [First Baptist Church]
Booth Became Pastor Of First Baptist Church Of Pleasanton In 2007. He remained publicly identified as the church’s pastor immediately before his August 2026 arrest. [First Baptist Church] [KCTV]
Safe Harbor Mission Project
Booth Has Also Been Involved In A Proposed Homeless Shelter In Linn County. Beginning in 2023, he publicly promoted plans to convert a former nursing home in Prescott into a shelter and transitional-housing program called Safe Harbor Mission. [Linn County Journal]
Booth Appeared Before County And Municipal Officials Seeking Support For The Project. Linn County records and local reporting document his presentations to commissioners and the Mound City Council. [Linn County Journal] [Linn County Records]
Linn County Commissioners Declined To Fund The Shelter. Commissioners said they did not want to commit taxpayer money to the privately run project. [Linn County Journal]
Case Status
Booth Remains In Custody Without Bond. As of September 1, 2026, the latest reporting places him in the custody of the Linn County Sheriff’s Office. [KCTV]
The Criminal Case Is At An Early Stage. No plea, preliminary-hearing result, trial, conviction, dismissal or sentencing has yet been publicly reported.
The Detailed Allegations Have Not Yet Been Released. Current reporting establishes the arrest and identifies several charges, but authorities have not publicly released a full probable-cause narrative explaining the underlying accusations.
The Charges Have Not Been Proven In Court. Booth remains accused rather than convicted while the Kansas criminal case proceeds. [KCTV]
One of the first political bloggers in the world, Oliver Willis has operated OliverWillis.com since 2000. Contributor at Media Matters for America and The American Independent. Follow on Twitter at @owillis. Full bio.