Former Pastor Arraigned on Child Sex Assault Charges

By Huey Freeman
Herald & Review
March 25, 2017

http://herald-review.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/former-pastor-arraigned-on-child-sex-assault-charges/article_ddf774ea-6e86-5ae9-bbab-cdd722284a78.html


DECATUR – Jose Luis Aboytes stood in front of the bench of Associate Macon County Judge Phoebe Bowers, dressed in a black-and-gray jail jumpsuit, flanked by his attorney and a translator.

The judge read aloud seven felony counts to him in English, which were each related to him in Spanish by the translator.

Aboytes, a former assistant pastor of an eastside church, was told he is charged with one count of predatory sexual assault of a child, two counts of criminal sexual assault and four counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse.

He declined Bower's offer to read aloud the detailed charges, which specified the particular acts he allegedly performed on the female victim, who was younger than 13 years old when the first sexual assault occurred.

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If convicted of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child younger than 13, Aboytes would face a sentence of six to 60 years in prison. The sentencing guideline for criminal sexual assault, victim 13 to 17, is four to 15 years. Aggravated criminal sexual abuse is punishable by three to seven years.

Five supporters of Aboytes attended the arraignment, sitting on a bench together in the gallery, off to the side from the main seating area directly facing the judge's bench.

Aboytes is accused of sexually assaulting a girl who attended the church where he worked, Palabra Miel Hispanic Church, 3434 E. Wabash Ave. The offenses allegedly took place between September 2015 and September 2016, in the church office and at his residence.

Aboytes, who is represented by attorney Todd Ringel of Bloomington, entered a plea of not guilty to all the charges. He is being held in jail on $250,000 bond. Aboytes is due in court May 15 for a pretrial hearing.