LIBERTY — A St. Joseph minister charged with Internet sex crimes has waived his right to a preliminary hearing.
The Kansas City Star reported on its Web site Tuesday that Robert M. Black will appear in Clay County Circuit Court again on May 14.
He has pleaded not guilty to first-degree attempted statutory rape and attempted enticement of a child under 15.
The 40-year-old Independence man has worked at New Hope Baptist Church.
Authorities allege that Black used a Facebook account to entice someone he thought was a 13-year-old girl to meet him for sex. But the "girl" was a detective with the Western Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force.
Authorities said Black had more than 130 Facebook friends and many of them were teenagers or young adolescents.
Black remains free on bond.