ATOKA (TN)
Citizen Tribune [Morristown, TN]
February 13, 2026
A former West Tennessee pastor convicted of sex crimes against children is up for parole next month, records show.
FOX13 first reported on Ronnie Gorton, the former pastor of Awakening Church in Atoka, in 2016 when he was initially charged with rape of a child.
In 2019, a jury found him guilty of 24 charges includes 11 counts of statutory rape by an authority figure. Gorton pled guilty soon after to another 23 charges.
RELATED: Trial begins for pastor accused of dozens of sex crimes involving children
At the time, his attorney, Blake Ballin, said he was sentenced to 38 years and eligible for parole after serving 17 years. This month, victims connected to the case received a letter from the Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC) saying Gorton has a parole hearing in March.
FOX13 spoke to one former associate of Gorton who described shock after he was notified about the letter. FOX13 is protecting his identity because of the nature of Gorton’s crimes.
“It definitely takes a monster to do what he did to those kids,” he said. “Back in the day, he was really almost like a father-figure to me. And you just never know what someone is capable of until it comes out.”
FOX13 Investigates reached out to TDOC for clarification. Since Gorton was found guilty of some charges after a trial and pled guilty to others, he received two separate sentences.
A TDOC spokesperson said next month’s hearing is what they call a custodial hearing. It means if granted, Gorton could be granted parole for one sentence and could begin serving his second sentence.
The associate FOX13 spoke to said he does not feel Gorton should be granted any leniency.
“It’s something that I don’t, I don’t wish on anybody for sure. And then I, of course, being as I know these people personally, you know, it’s a lot of hurt,” he said.
He told FOX13 he plans to write a letter to the parole board. The hearing is scheduled in Nashville on March 10, 2026.