Reporting the Truth.
Restoring the Church.
By Liz Lykins
On Nov. 29, 2025, Pastor James Stockton of South Bay Church of God in Torrance, California, was arrested by local authorities. (Photo: Instagram)
At first, the pastor looked surprised when a man slid into the front seat of his white Yukon SUV, parked in a lot at a park just outside of Los Angeles. The pastor had arranged to meet up with someone who claimed online that he was only 16 years old.
“Can we have an easy conversation about this, bro?” asked the stranger with a cell phone that was clearly recording the pastor. The two men bantered for barely three minutes when the stranger suddenly leapt out of the passenger seat as a police officer walked up to the driver’s window.
“Big Bad Wolf”— a content creator who targets online predators — had struck again.
This time, the target was James Stockton, the senior pastor of South Bay Church of God in Torrance, California, who was arrested last Friday a half hour away in Signal Hill. Local police charged him with meeting with a minor for lewd purposes, according to court records.
Big Bad Wolf, a member of an online group called “Caught Fished,” led the sting operation that led to Stockton’s arrest.Pastor James Stockton of South Bay Church of God in Torrance, California. (TRR Graphic)
After posing online as a 16-year-old boy, the creator posted a YouTube video of what happened when he showed up to meet with Stockton. He also filmed Stockton’s arrest by police he had previously notified.
In the video posted online, he asked Stockton why he showed up for the meeting, and Stockton replied, “Actually, I was hoping and praying that it was somebody older.”
Stockton’s reply is followed by a clip of someone saying in a classroom, “Do I look stupid to you?” — a technique the creator uses repeatedly throughout the 31-minute arrest video.
Stockton, 54, unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. House in 2024. He also was a former National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) leader.
He has pleaded not guilty to the charge, according to court records.
A spokesperson for South Bay Church told The Roys Report (TRR) that Stockton has been terminated from his role.
“We don’t know any more than everybody else that saw the video online, and we are as shocked, if not more,” the spokesperson said.
Stockton was released from jail Dec. 2 on his own recognizance and is due back in court Dec. 12, according to court records.
Stockton supposedly knew he was messaging a teen
Antoine, another member of the group “Caught Fished” told FOX 11 Los Angeles that the group chats with adults they believe are communicating with minors for sexual purposes.
Stockton “very well knew” that he was messaging someone who claimed to be 16, Antoine told the publication.
Antoine shared alleged messages between Stockton and the decoy. In one of the supposed messages, Stockton sends a selfie and asks, “What time do you get out of school today?”
In another, he reportedly writes, “I promise to be gentle and make sure you are enjoying it.”
Antoine then told FOX 11 that Stockton’s messages became graphic.
“He got into the nasty part that no pastor should be talking about,” Antoine said. “These are the ones that we trust, and we should be able to trust him with our kids.”Pastor James Stockton preaches at South Bay Church of God in Torrance, California. (Video screengrab)
Stockton’s long career as a pastor
Prior to leading South Bay, Stockton worked as the pastor of Greater New Hope Church in Ocala, Florida, and as the senior pastor at New Destiny Cathedral in Charleston, West Virginia. He also worked as the director of student and special programs at West Virginia State University, according to his Facebook account.
He is a native of Columbus, Ohio, according to his biography on Ballotpedia.
In 2024, Stockton ran for Congress as a Democrat to represent Florida’s 6th Congressional District, but was defeated by Rep. Randy Fine, who currently holds the office.
South Bay is part of the Church of God based in Anderson, Indiana, according to the church’s website.
Liz Lykins is a correspondent covering religion news for The Roys Report, WORLD Magazine, and other publications.
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