Sex-offending youth pastor gets jail, probation

By Peter Jones
Villager
October 5, 2016

http://www.villagerpublishing.com/82794/news/sex-offending-youth-pastor-gets-jail-probation/

A youth pastor who met his victim in Littleton has received 90 days in jail and 20 years of intensive sex-offender probation for sexually touching a 13-year-old girl who came to him for counseling.

Christopher Hutchinson, 37, was convicted July 29 of sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust. When he was arrested, he was youth pastor at Southeast Christian Church in Parker. Previously he had held the same position at South Fellowship Church in Littleton, where he first met the girl.

The 13-year-old had turned to her pastor for support and counseling during difficult times. He urged her to meet him at local parks, where he sexually touched her. Although Hutchinson urged his victim to keep his actions secret, she told her parents who contacted law enforcement.

The prosecution had requested a sentence of four years to life in prison.

“While I accept the decision of the judge, for whom I have great respect, I respectfully disagree with the sentence,” District Attorney George Brauchler said. “… [Hutchinson] denied that his conduct was sexual in nature or for sexual gratification until after the jury found him guilty. The office does not consider him to be a good candidate for probation.”

In seeking the harsher sentence, prosecutor Leora Joseph told the court: “For an adult male to speak in the voice of God as a youth pastor … to then violate that trust with what he did to this victim. It is that betrayal that warrants a prison sentence.”