Former 'ex-gay' ministry leader Alan Chambers pleads not guilty to child solicitation charges
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - A Winter Park community and former Exodus International leader, Alan Chambers, has entered a formal plea of not guilty in connection with felony child solicitation charges filed against him.
Chambers is the former president of Exodus International, a high-profile global ministry that took part in counseling gays to change their sexual orientation, FOX News reported. He was arrested last month following a months-long cyber crimes investigation into his alleged digital communication and explicit arrangements to meet a teenage boy for sex.
The 14-year-old boy Chambers was allegedly communicating with on SnapChat was an undercover law enforcement detective.
What we know:
According to a June 11 court filing, Alan Manning Chambers, 54, pleaded not guilty to several charges against him, which include: solicitation of a minor, transmission of harmful materials to minors and unlawful use of a two-way communication device.
Chambers was charged on May 20 after a judge found probable cause linking the man to a sex plot with a teenager. He was released from custody after bond was set at $15,000.
Who is Alan Manning Chambers?
Alan Manning Chambers, 54, is a husband to his wife, Leslie, and father to two children. Chambers resides in Winter Park where he works at a luxury menswear clothing store on Park Avenue.
Chambers previously served as president of the Park Avenue District and was a board member with the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce. His service with the Chamber of Commerce ended in 2023.
Read more: Former Florida 'ex-gay' ministry president accused of contacting teen boy, 14, for sex on Snapchat
Though the Chamber of Commerce declined to comment on the allegations against Chambers, the Park Avenue District said it's parting ways with Chambers amid his pending case.
In a statement to FOX 35, Park Avenue District said,
"While this matter is unrelated to the organization or its work, we take situations involving allegations of this nature extremely seriously. At this time, Mr. Chambers is no longer associated with the organization. Out of respect for the legal process, we will not comment further on the specifics of the case."
Connection to Exodus International
An AT&T subpoena for the account's phone number identifies the subscriber as Alan M L Chambers Foundation and a Winter Park address is listed as the billing and user address. This address is affiliated with Exodus International. The foundation's name is listed on Chambers' Amazon biography for his publications.
Chambers served as president of Exodus International from 2001 until the church dissolved in 2013, his biography said.
His list of published works include "My Exodus: From Fear to Grace," "God's Grace and the Homosexual Next Door: Reaching the Heart of the Gay Men and Women in Your World" and "Leaving Homosexuality: A Practical Guide for Men and Women Looking for a Way Out."
In an interview with FOX News, Chambers said, "Exodus is here for people who want an alternative to homosexuality. There are thousands of people like me who have overcome this. I think there's room for more than one opinion on this subject, and giving people options isn't dangerous."
What we don't know:
It's not known if Chambers was in contact with any other minor victims. Following his arrest, detectives worked to investigate any other possible victims.
The Source: Information in this story was gathered from court documents filed in Orange County, Florida.