RUCKERSVILLE (VA)
WVIR [Charlottesville, VA]
January 6, 2026
By Gabby Womack
A former Greene County pastor will spend 10 years in prison for sexually abusing a minor, child endangerment and felony embezzlement.
A judge handed down that sentence for Rodney Locklear in Greene County Circuit Court Monday, January 5. The decision was made in an almost four hour session.
Locklear, former pastor of Victory Church in Ruckersville, was sentenced on a series of felony and misdemeanor charges involving embezzlement crimes and sexual abuse of a child.
In court, the victim told deputies the abuse was the most traumatic experience of her life, leaving her teenage years marked by fear and uncertainty.
Her parents also testified that they noticed drastic changes in her behavior, saying she became withdrawn and angry. They said this was never part of her personality before attending the church.
Captain Kevin Freid with the Greene County Sheriff’s Office was able to retrieve messages with the minor talking to a Snapchat artificial intelligence bot. In those messages she asked:
“I just don’t understand…”
“He has a wife and kid..”
“He’s a pastor too.”
“But it is my fault.”
“I hate what you did to me.”
“I deserve to be in hell for what you’ve done.”
She is now receiving treatment at a care facility.
The judge sentenced Locklear to a total of 10 years active time. The convictions include eight counts of felony embezzlement, two counts of child endangerment and two counts of misdemeanor sexual abuse against a minor.
For the embezzlement, the judge ordered more than $153,000 in restitution.
During sentencing, Judge David Barredo called the case disturbing, saying he believed the church may have started with good intentions, but that “lust of the eyes got in the way.”