BLOUNTSVILLE, Ala. — A Blountsville man who hosted a Christian podcast focused on End Times prophecy and moral renewal took his own life Wednesday morning as Blount County sheriff’s deputies moved in to arrest him on child sex charges.
Richard Anthony Yuhas, 58, died at his home on U.S. 231 in Blountsville about 9 a.m. as officers attempted to take him into custody, Blount County authorities said. District Attorney Pamela Casey confirmed she approved an autopsy but declined to release further details while in court.
Yuhas was charged with two counts of electronic solicitation of a child and two counts of clergy having sexual contact with a child, according to charging documents.
The allegations center on text messages Yuhas sent to an underage girl on June 19 telling her he had candy in his office at an undisclosed church, according to the documents. When the girl arrived at the office, Yuhas kissed and fondled her and then performed a sex act on her, investigators said. The conduct allegedly occurred on two separate occasions, the records state.
The clergy sexual contact charges relate to Yuhas’ role as a volunteer substitute teacher at the church, according to the charging documents.
Yuhas hosted a podcast titled “Renewed Mindsets: Don’t Conform-TRANSFORM,” which he described as a “bold, truth-driven” show digging into End Times prophecy, biblical warnings and “the call to live holy in the final days.”
The podcast’s description says each episode “exposes deception in today’s church, highlights signs of Christ’s return, and challenges believers to transform their minds and hearts according to God’s Word — not the world’s opinions.” It brands itself as “not surface-level faith” but “a wake-up call for the remnant to rise, repent, and get ready.”
The case echoes a broader pattern in Alabama, where clergy and church volunteers have repeatedly faced child sex abuse allegations. In 2024, the Alabama Legislature passed a bill to make it a Class B felony for church leaders, staff or volunteers to engage in sexual relationships with anyone under 19, a measure sponsors said came after hearing numerous victims’ stories.
Court and media records across the state show dozens of arrests of church leaders and volunteers for sexual crimes involving children. Some churches, including an Alabama-based megachurch, have acknowledged efforts to “rehabilitate” pastors and leaders credibly accused of sexual abuse.
The stark contrast between Yuhas’ public messaging about holy living and the charges against him underscores a recurring theme in Alabama abuse cases: those who most loudly claim moral authority often use that standing to shield themselves.
As one Alabama advocate noted in support of the 2024 clergy-abuse bill, “It’s a shame that it has come to this point of evil but sadly it has.” The law now allows prosecution of church leaders who take advantage of minors under their authority, sending what supporters called a “serious warning” to pastors and youth ministers.
Yuhas’ death ends the criminal case against him, but left behind are questions about how long the alleged conduct went on and who else might have known. The Blount County Sheriff’s Office has not released additional details, and the church where he volunteered remains unidentified in public records.