COLORADO
CBS Denver
[with video]
GOLDEN, Colo. (CBS4)- A pastor who pleaded guilty to sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust has been sentenced to 10 years to life in prison.
Gerald Clark’s victims include three young women who knew him through the church they attended with their families. The abuse happened over a period of seven years and date back as far as 2005 and as recently as April 2012.
Clark originally faced 10 counts, but those were dropped in exchange for a guilty plea in December 2012 to one count that covers all three felony counts of victims under the age of 18.
At the sentencing on Friday, the judge said it was a disturbing case even troubling his own faith as he went over the details, not only because it involved sexual abuse but also spiritual abuse.
The first young woman to come forward told police that Clark was a father figure and mentor to her. She said the sexual abuse occurred approximately 30 to 50 times between 2009 and 2012 when she was 13 to 16 years old.
Clark met that alleged victim and her family at Victory Church. They then followed Clark to Jericho Ministries International that Clark ran out of his Westminster home.
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