Pastor and registered sex offenders arrested after car wash

BALDWIN COUNTY, Ala. (WALA) - A local pastor is speaking out after court documents show he allowed registered sex offenders to volunteer at a car wash that was too close to a school or daycare.

According to the documents, Dennis Potter is accused of allowing six sex offenders to volunteer to help wash cars on Sept. 14.

The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office said the car wash happened near a school or daycare. By law, registered sex offenders cannot be within 2000 feet of.

Potter, who owns Outcast Ministries Inc., a non-profit aimed at rehabilitating addicts, the homeless, and criminals through the word of God, said they have done car washes numerous times at the Outcast Ministries thrift store on Highway 59 and have never had a problem.

“We were certainly not trying to do anything wrong,” Potter said. “The thing about a Sunday, schools are not even meeting on Sunday, daycares are not in business on Sunday. There were no kids involved. These are adults, bringing their car up to do a car wash.”

Deputies said they’ve warned Potter about having sex offenders help with the car wash. However, Potter said the sheriff’s office only told him they cannot work full-time in his store, which he says he’s followed.

Potter said he works closely with law enforcement to ensure he’s following the law and has always complied.

“Some of my guys, they’re all facing felony charges over this, and they are clean,” he said. “If you rehabilitate someone, you’re actually improving public safety.”

Potter was charged with complicity. He said despite this happening, his mission remains the same and will continue to help and minister.