WILLIAMSVILLE (NY)
WIVB [Buffalo NY]
October 19, 2026
By Mark Ludwiczak
A former pastor and soccer coach from Williamsville was sentenced to eight years in prison and 10 years of post-release supervision for child sexual abuse, the Erie County District Attorney’s Office said Monday.
John A. Camardo III, 47, pleaded guilty in July to one count of second-degree rape and one count of second-degree course of sexual conduct against a child.
Officials said that between April 2024 and June 2024, Camardo had sexual intercourse with a victim under 15 years old. Between April 2025 and June 2026, Camardo engaged in two or more acts of sexual conduct with a second victim who was under 13 years old. Officials said Camardo knew the victims, and both crimes took place in Amherst.
Camardo was a former executive pastor of The Chapel, which has several locations in Western New York. He also previously coached girls’ travel soccer for the Amherst Soccer Association as of 2023.
Orders of protection have been issued on behalf of the victims and will remain in effect until July 2054. Camardo will be required to register as a sex offender.
“I commend these two brave victims as their disclosures were essential to hold this defendant accountable for his crimes,” Erie County District Attorney Mike Keane said. “I understand that it is incredibly difficult for crime victims, particularly survivors of sexual abuse, to come forward, but their cooperation is critical to uncover the truth and achieve justice. I encourage anyone who may have been victimized by this defendant, or anyone who has been the victim of a crime, to contact law enforcement.”
Mark Ludwiczak joined the News 4 team in 2024. He is a veteran journalist with two decades of experience in Buffalo. You can follow him online at @marklud12.