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	Former Stanley Preacher Guilty of Molesting Preteen By Vickie Welborn Shreveport Times February 6, 2010 http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/20100206/NEWS01/2060339/1060 MANSFIELD (LA) -- A former Stanley pastor who denied having sex with an 11-year-old girl during his rape trial in October 2007 pleaded guilty to a reduced charge Friday. The plea to molestation of a juvenile keeps Burcham Paul Warren out of prison but means he'll have to register as a sex offender. The 53-year-old was offered the plea at the request of the victim, who now is a teenager, and her parents, said Sabine Assistant District Attorney Anna Garcie, who was appointed as a special prosecutor for the 42nd Judicial District to handle Warren's case. "And that's the only reason," said Garcie. "The state absolutely was prepared to retry the defendant on aggravated rape." Warren entered what is called an Alford plea, meaning he did not admit guilt but conceded the state had sufficient evidence that likely would lead to a conviction. Warren's attorney, Daryl Gold, declined to comment on the deal. A jury deadlocked 6-6 at Warren's trial in 2007, forcing District Judge Charles Adams to declare a mistrial. Other court dates have been postponed as the state pursued additional evidence against Warren. Warren, a former pastor of South Oak Grove Assembly of God Church, has been free on bond since the trial. After his plea Friday, he met with a state Probation and Parole agent who will oversee his extended probation. As part of the plea arrangement, Warren was given a 10-year suspended sentence and placed on five years of supervised probation. Adams also fined Warren $2,000 plus court costs. Warren was arrested in September 2006 after an 11-year-old church member told a schoolteacher about the sexual assault. The girl told investigators the abuse started with Warren tickling her with his mustache and tongue and escalated from there. Warren also showed her adult pornography stored on a laptop computer owned by the church. During Warren's trial, the girl told jurors she hesitated telling anyone about what was happening because she was afraid no one would believe her. She also said Warren told her he would go to jail and she would go into foster care if she told anyone. And Warren threatened to withhold food from her pet dogs. Church members, most of whom were older women, came to Warren's defense, testifying about his reputation in the community. Many also criticized the girl for making the allegations. One called her a liar and untrustworthy.
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