Former Hopewell Pastor to Serve 5 Years in Computer Sex Crime
By Robby Korth
A former pastor and youth minister in Hopewell pleaded guilty to two counts of procuring a sex act by computer Wednesday in Montgomery County. Deric Peacock, 30, was sentenced to serve five years in prison and seven years probation upon his release by Circuit Court Judge Marcus Long. Peacock had online communications in which he exposed himself and said he fantasized about having sex with what he thought were a 12-year-old girl and her mother, but both were in fact, a Christiansburg police detective. Long sentenced Peacock to a total of 20 years, but suspended 15. The five-year sentence is 18 months above the high end of usual guidelines in such cases, county Commonwealth’s Attorney Mary Pettitt said. Long agreed to go above guidelines because of Peacock’s role as a minister, he said. Peacock, who had recently lived in Chesterfield, was a family and children’s pastor at South Hopewell Church of God until his arrest this summer. He had, on several occasions, sent nude photos of himself to the police detective from what appeared to be his office at the church, county Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Nael Abouzaki said in court. Police detectives began investigating Peacock after he had entered an online chat room in March under the username “ChurchGuy” and told a detective, whose username indicated she was a mother, that his name was Eric and he wanted to chat, Abouzaki said. The detective couldn’t talk at the time, so she gave him her email address and then received an email from “pastorinvirginia83@yahoo.com” that had three pictures of the man. Over the next couple of months, the two chatted. The man told the detective he loved flirting with young girls and he wanted to find a woman and her daughter to spoil, according to Abouzaki. He would also steer the conversations to ask about the woman’s daughter and ask if she touched herself and what she would wear, Abouzaki said. Eventually, the man began talking with who he believed to be the 12-year-old girl. He would ask the girl sexual questions and said he fantasized about having sex with a mother and daughter, Abouzaki said. He also sent pictures and videos of his genitals and him committing other acts to the detectives, Abouzaki said. On one occasion, the man propositioned what he thought was the 12-year-old girl to commit a certain act, Abouzaki said. Peacock testified at a bond hearing in June that he lived at home with his wife, five children, his mother and his stepfather. He said his children range in age from 6 to 19 years old, and all but one are adopted. He said at the bond hearing that he lost his job as a youth pastor, which he had held since January 2013, because of his arrest. Peacock had previously worked as an administrative pastor at a church in Cleveland, Tennessee. Peacock will be required to register as a sex offender. He had faced five counts of using a communication system to facilitate certain offenses involving children. Abouzaki requested Long go above sentencing guidelines in court because Peacock “doesn’t practice what he preaches,” he said. Long agreed to go above guidelines because of Peacock’s role as a minister, he said. robby.korth@roanoke.com 381-1679
|
.
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.