Lucas Timothy Hunt, the 25-year-old founder of Thank You Jesus Yard Signs, was charged Feb. 25 with one count of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor in Randolph County, N.C., after a brief investigation by the Invictus Task Force.
North Carolina residents likely have seen hundreds of these signs scattered around neighborhoods or along highways, as the signs are part of a larger “Thank You Jesus Mission” the 501(c)3 nonprofit ministry advertises.
According to the company website, Hunt founded the ministry as a teenager in 2016 as an Easter project for his “small rural church.” Since then, “170,000 signs have been sold along with car magnets, garden flags and bracelets.” Revenue from the sales is used to provide “grants to religious 501(c)3’s who seek to share God’s love.”
According to court documents, Invictus Task Force investigators found a pornographic video of two children in Hunt’s possession after receiving a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
The task force is a nonprofit centered in Randolph, Alamance, Davidson and Forsyth Counties of North Carolina that partners with the State Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security. Their website describes the project as a “joint effort of federal, state and local law enforcement in the fight against crimes against children, sexual abuse, trafficking and the exploitation of children.”
At the bottom of their website, the Invictus Project lists Romans 13:4 — “For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.”
After Hunt’s arrest, the Thank You Jesus brand has scrubbed its websites of his name and image. However, the story of how he founded the company still remains on their front page without his name directly mentioned.
The Thank You Jesus brand has scrubbed its websites of his name and image.
The story does name a church board member, Connie Frazier, as the adult who aided Hunt in building his original idea into a marketable business. Frazier is now president of the organization.
When asked about the charges against Hunt, Frazier told FOX8, “Thank You Jesus has always been about more than one person, it’s about people who love Jesus and want to show their appreciation. Although we cannot comment on the criminal charges against Lucas Hunt, we can share that he blessed thousands of people through the Thank You Jesus Signs.”
However, many North Carolinians who have seen the signs all over the state do not feel “blessed” by them, especially in light of this recent news.
In fact, many North Carolina social media users say they are “not surprised” by the charges, calling Hunt a “typical evangelical” in the comments on a local news outlet’s Facebook post. One user remarked: “This is not surprising. Child abusers are always hiding behind Jesus.”
Previously, locals had grown tired of seeing the signs scattered around, complaining there are simply too many of them, and the plastic signs have littered grassy spots beyond the purpose of the mission’s evangelical efforts. Others complained the signs often served as a signal of hyper-conservatism, as though the signs were posted to contrast “liberal” sentiments of inclusivity, such as LGBTQ or immigration rights.
Investigation of Hunt’s alleged criminal activity is still ongoing, so additional charges are possible. Currently, he has been released on bond, which was set at $75,000.