Scott Kirkman, a real estate agent and former director of music ministries for First United Methodist Church, is accused of attempted human trafficking and other charges.
According to court records, Kirkman was arrested in Bay County by the Panama City Police Department on a warrant out of Leon County.
The charges listed on the warrant are:
Attempted human trafficking for commercial sexual activity
Use of a computer to solicit a minor
Unlawful use of a two-way communication device
First United Methodist Church provided this statement regarding Kirkman’s arrest:
“We learned that Scott Kirkman, Director of Music Ministries, was arrested on May 20, 2026 and was being held at the Bay County Jail for another agency.
Based on this initial information yesterday, he was placed on leave from our church staff. This morning, May 21, 2026, the formal charges against him have come to light and the nature of them are such that he has been terminated from his position at the church.
We are both shocked and saddened by this news. We are committed to working with law enforcement in this matter. All employees of our church undergo a background check and Safe Sanctuary policies are in place. There is no indication that any alleged incidents happened at the church. We offer our prayers for everyone involved in this situation and for the legal process as it unfolds in the coming days.”
– A Spokesperson for First United Methodist Church
He is currently booked in the Bay County Jail. We’ve reached out to the Leon County Sheriff’s Office for more details.
We will provide more information as it becomes available.
