The founder and executive director of Patriot Kids’ Ministries was arrested on Jan. 13 for the felony charge of indecency with a child by sexual contact.
As of presstime on Jan. 14, Jon Phillip Tidball, age 63, was being held in the Bell County Jail until he can be transported to Bexar County. There are different types of weapon possession and whether they are considered to be illegal depends on the laws in your state. These types of possession are classified under simple possession, carrying a concealed weapon, carrying in plain sight and carrying on or about a person. Simple possession is the most serious and covers anything that be considered a huge threat and has more of a military than a personal use, but also involves those whom have a prior court order stating that they are not allowed to possess a weapon because of a prior conviction, mental illness or parole. It may be legal to carry a concealed weapon in certain parts of the US, as long as that weapon is registered and licensed to a qualified person,but becomes illegal when the person is in violation of a state law or a personal court order. Carrying in plain sight may be a requirement for certain occupations, such as police officers, but can have severe consequences for civilians. Carrying on or about a person combines plain sight and concealing and makes carrying a weapon of any kind a crime. A criminal lawyer or attorney can assist you when it comes to dealing with any of these types of illegal possession allegations, Click here for additional reading about bail bonds.

The sentencing of each of these possession allegations varies according to the weapon, the charge and where the arrest was made. Depending on the circumstances of your case you may receive anywhere from a Class A misdemeanor charge of up to 1 year in county jail along with a $4,000 fine to a 3rd degree felony charge of up to 10 years in prison up to a $10,000 in fines. When the possession of a weapon is tied to serious criminal activity, such as drug trafficking or a sex crime, the consequences grow even more unyielding and fines and sentencing increase. If these guns have anything to do with gun trafficking and/or they are illegal in nature you may be facing mandatory time in prison or jail on top of any other charges against you. The case may be raised to the federal level depending on the circumstances of the charge.

The gravity of the pending charges will be tell whether the individual may or may not be able to bond out of jail. If there is a prior record involved this can affect whether bond is granted and the amount that will need to be posted. Recently there has been a push to increase the bail bond amounts for criminal weapon possession in order to not only prevent people from getting out of jail, but this also boosts the gravity of the crime’s consequences in hopes of deterring people from breaking the law in this manner. If the individual is seen as a threat to the public’s safety then bail may be denied.

The arrest came from a warrant issued by Bexar County Sheriff’s office in October 2013. 

The alleged victim is a 24-year-old woman and former family member who told investigators that the alleged sexual contact occured with her between the ages of eight and 14. When the woman learned that Tidball was associated with the Patriot Kids’ Ministries, she came forward to make charges. 

Bell County Special Crimes Unit has asked that parents of children who attended the Patriot Kids’ Ministries camps and events talk to their children.

“We’re concerned abou the children of this community,” Lt. Michelle Cianti with the Bell Co. Special Crimes Unit told Salado Village Voice.

Tidball served as an Army chaplain, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel after 31 years in the military.

After retirement, Tidball founded Patriot Kids’ Ministries, opening the facility in January 2012. 

According to its website, the purpose of Patriot Kids’ Ministries is “to serve the children of our Nation’s Military Heroes through a variety of ministries and programs.”

Those programs include Christian after-school programs, day camps, summer camps, workshops and other activities. Patriot Kids Ministries retreat center and kids camp is south of Stillhouse Lake. The organization purchased the property that once housed the Cedar Knob Baptist Church.