Man behind popular 'Thank You Jesus' signs charged with sexually exploiting a child

The man behind the popular "Thank You Jesus" signs has been accused of sexually exploiting a child, according to police in North Carolina.

The Randolph County Sheriff’s Office stated that 25-year-old Lucas Timothy Hunt was arrested on Tuesday. Hunt, of Asheboro, North Carolina, was charged with one count of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor.

'We can say that Lucas Hunt, through the Thank You Jesus signs, has helped thousands of people and has been a blessing.'

Hunt was booked at the Randolph County Detention Center before being released after posting a $75,000 bond, according to jail records.

Hunt made his first court appearance on Wednesday, where he told the judge he understood the charges and plans to hire an attorney, according to WGHP-TV.

Hunt reportedly declined to speak to the news outlet following the hearing. He is expected to appear in court on March 19.

In January 2025, the Invictus Task Force launched an investigation after receiving a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The Invictus Task Force is a collaboration of sheriffs' offices, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations that investigates child exploitation, solicitation, and trafficking.

Deputies with the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office said in the arrest warrant that Hunt received materials depicting two pubescent females engaged in a sex act, according to the Charlotte Observer.

Connie Frazier, president of the "Thank You Jesus" mission, told WFMY-TV, "We will not be commenting on the charges, but we can say that Lucas Hunt, through the Thank You Jesus signs, has helped thousands of people and has been a blessing."

As a teenager, Hunt began selling yard signs in 2016 that read: "Thank You Jesus."

According to the archived "Thank You Jesus" website:

In 2016, a young teenager named Lucas Hunt prayed for help to display Easter signs in his hometown of Asheboro, NC. Also, he prayed that these efforts would have a giant impact on the Kingdom. A few weeks later a board member at his church, Connie Frazier, sought the Lord's direction concerning an Easter project for their congregation. Lucas and Connie were unaware of each other’s prayers and desires. Then, God spoke very clearly to Connie instructing her to design a Thank You Jesus yard sign that would be distributed nationwide. Thank You Jesus signs were embraced and the wave of gratitude took hold.

The site said that more than 250,000 "Thank You Jesus" signs have been sold.

The signs reportedly sell for $8 to $10 and have been sold in every state.

The Winston-Salem Journal interviewed Hunt in 2017, when he was 17 years old.

Hunt told the outlet his reaction when he sees one of the yard signs, "Somebody in that household believes the way I believe — they love the same Jesus."

He added, "People ask if it’s a brand. It's not a brand, but it’s a ministry. It's not a way of selling you this product, that product. It’s all about Jesus."

When asked about his future in the interview, Hunt replied, "We'll just see what God has planned. He's already blown my mind."

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