What is it with homophobes and Grindr? This week, an antigay preacher from Missouri was busted trying to buy sex off Grindr… and paying for it with an Arby’s gift card.
57-year-old Barry Cole Poyner of Kirksville, Missouri is, er, was an elder at the Kirksville Church of Christ, as well as a professor of communications at Truman State University, before news of his gay sex scandal went national.
He was slapped with a class B misdemeanor count of patronizing prostitution after cops received a tip that he’d been “harassing male Truman students for sexual contact as well as offering to pay for items for sexual favors by using the app Grindr” then set up a fake profile to catch him in the act.
Related: Another antigay church leader caught trying to buy sex on Grindr
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It didn’t take long for Poyner, using the handle “DILF,” to reach out to an undercover officer, saying he “would love to have a sugar daddy relationship” and offering to buy him a tank of gas and an Arby’s gift card in exchange for sex.
When police eventually confronted him, Poyner said he was only “trying to help” and that he had no intentions of “doing anything with a minor.” If convicted, he faces up to six months in prison and a fine of up to $1,000.
Now, here are five more homophobes who have been caught cruising on Grindr…
Bill Sanderson
In July 2019, the Republican lawmaker was accused of keeping a secret Grindr profile while simultaneously pushing several pieces of antigay legislation through the Tennessee House of Representatives. After screenshots of alleged chats between Sanderson and other men leaked online, the lawmaker, who happens to have a gay son, insisted he was being framed then said he was resigning from office, though he maintained his resignation had nothing to do with the gay sex scandal.
Related: It turns out that antigay lawmaker allegedly caught on Grindr also has a gay son
Aryeh Cohen
In August 2018, the 44-year-old rabbi was busted for trying to arrange a hookup with a 16-year-old he met on Grindr. Little did he know, the 16-year-old was actually an undercover cop. When officers arrived at his front door to arrest him, Cohen said, “I sort of deserve it.” That November, he pled guilty to one count of engaging in electronic communication describing sexual conduct with a child. In January 2019, a judge sentenced him to two days in jail followed by three years of probation.
Brian Kemp
This one isn’t so much a Grindr sex scandal as it is just a weird Grindr story… In October 2018, the then gubernatorial candidate from Georgia was busted cruising for votes on the app in his efforts to defeat Stacey Abrams. His campaign declined to comment on why it was running political ads on a gay sex app when the candidate himself hates gay people, though an aide said it was likely due to an glitch in targeted advertising.
Related: Antigay gubernatorial candidate so desperate for votes he’s advertising… on Grindr?!
Joseph McLoone
In August 2019, the Pennsylvania priest was accused of stealing almost $100,000 from his church to pay for a lavish beach house, boyfriends, and other personal expenses, including a Grindr XTRA account. When confronted about it, McLoone admitted to paying for “personal relationships” with men using church funds. He was charged with charged with multiple counts of theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, theft by failure to make required disposition of funds, and dealing in the proceeds of unlawful activity.
Related: Priest arrested for spending church money on beach house, boyfriends, and a Grindr XTRA account
Dominic “Nick” Provenzano
In March 2018, it was revealed that the 56-year-old aide to “family values” politician Rep. Randy Hultgren of Illinois had been busted having car sex with a 17-year-old kid who he met on Grindr. Provenzano, who’s married to a woman, told police he thought the kid was 18. Meanwhile, the teen said the whole thing was consensual. But that didn’t stop homophobic Hultgren from firing Provenzano after the story leaked to the media.
Related: Aide for antigay politician busted having car sex with 17-year-old boy he met on Grindr
rand503
I never tire of reading these stories.
marion
Has Graham written an article in the last 6 months that doesn’t include the word homophobe?
ryanM
I’m not sure what your point is but you can easily find the answer, and it’s yes. Just click on his name and you’d see that he recently wrote a piece titled, ”Netflix hopes to get to the bottom of those Aaron Hernandez bisexual rumors once and for all.” The word, “homophobe” and its variants do not show up in the article. Feel foolish?
Nic1966
‘Be sure your Sins will find you out !’ Nothing wrong with being Gay. But being Homophobic and closeted Gay is totally wrong. Stay private if you want but don’t openly criticise Gays !
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Still can’t wrap my brain around how these repugnant smcubags can engage in Gay sex and then publicly denounce such acts causing and encouraging both mental and physical harm to other Gays….
Kangol2
They do it because they are rabidly self-loathing and full of fear, whether they can acknowledge it or not, about who and what they are. That cognitive dissonance leads to their homophobic actions.
skeldare
What? Does Aaron Schock not have a grindr account?
Rock-N-RollHS
As for last dude, if he meet the guy in person, as opposed to online, the 17 year old would be a consenting adult, not a “kid.” Same in New York. In much of the South, the age of consent is 16 in person. So referring to older teens as kids gets a little incoherent and infantilizing. But we are a country of victims, so. . . meanwhile female college student in New York stabbed by a gang of 13 and 14 year olds.