MIDLAND (MI)
WNEM [Saginaw, MI]
March 19, 2026
By James Felton
A sexual assault survivor faced a former pastor in court Thursday before the judge handed down his sentence for first degree criminal sexual conduct.
James Randolph, the former leader of the Living Word Church in Midland, was convicted last August of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and other criminal charges.
The survivor of Randolph told the court in her victim impact statement that she will not allow Randolph’s actions, or lack of accountability, to re-traumatize her or hold power over her life any longer.
“When I was in the 6th grade, James Randolph begins sexually assaulting me in the middle of the night,” said the survivor.
The survivor said she lived with Randolph when she was a child.
“What started as abuse quickly escalated, becoming more severe over time,” said the survivor. “This continued for years. Each night, each incident, took something from me, my innocence, my sense of safety, and my understanding of what love and protection were supposed to look like.”
Randolph was sentenced to 25 to 40 years in prison. He will be eligible for parole after serving 25 years.
“The years that should’ve been filled with youthful joy and growth instead became some of the darkest of my life,” said the survivor. “I lived in constant fear and confusion. I felt isolated and alone carrying a weight that no child should ever have to bear. I was ashamed, embarrassed, and overwhelmed with guilt. Somehow believing that this was my fault.”
The survivor said she has forgiven Randolph, not for him, but for her. She said it does not excuse or minimize what he did to her. She told the court this forgiveness released the hold that this pain once had over her life.
“I am no longer that scared, silent child,” said the survivor. “I am strong, I am healing, and I am free.”
If Randolph is ever released from prison, he must wear a monitor for the rest of his life.
In May 2024, Brandon Saylor, a volunteer with Living Word Church, was re-sentenced with lifetime electronic monitoring for the sex offender’s registration act. He was previously sentenced for a crime in 2010 to five to 15 years in prison for sex crimes with children under the age of 13, and all of his previous sentences remain.
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