DECATUR (GA)
WAAY TV 31 [Huntsville, AL]
October 24, 2024
By Paige Meyer
A former Decatur pastor accused of sex crimes with a child has been found guilty of sodomy in the second degree.
Danny Duane Pitts will soon be registered as a sex offender after being charged for sexually abusing a minor while he was the Pastor at GracePoint Church in Decatur.
Authorities arrested Pitts back in November 2021. Pitts faced two felony charges, sodomy in the first degree and sodomy in the second degree, as well as two misdemeanor charges, sexual abuse in the first degree and sexual abuse in the second degree.
Since the former pastor’s arrest, his case has been continued four different times.
This week, the courtroom heard from two accusers formerly a part of GracePoint.
One of the victims testified Pitts sexually abused him in the early 2000s.
Another victim who is a part of another indictment against the former pastor in Tennessee claimed the same thing.
Garrick Vickery, the Morgan County Chief Assistant District Attorney, says although justice took some time, it is justice nonetheless.
“I’m pleased for the family. I’m pleased for (the victim) in this case that has stuck with this case for going on 17 years,” Vickery said. “There are no winners really with a case like this because he was a victim in what happened to him but it is a victory for victims who stuck with the system.”
Pitts’ defense team declined to comment.
One of the victims says the road leading up to this guilty verdict has not been an easy one.
“This has been 20 years coming and we got justice today not (only) for myself, but all the others this individual has hurt,” he said. “It’s about time that we got the justice that we all deserve.”
The former pastor has no bond. After serving his time, he will be registered as a sex offender.
The sentencing for Pitts is scheduled for Dec. 11 at 9 a.m. He’s facing anywhere from two to 20 years in prison.
The other victim who testified in this week’s trial plans to testify against Pitts again on Nov. 11. He is set to face a jury on similar charges in Grundy County, Tennessee.