CHRISTIAN EVANGELIST SENTENCED TO 175 YEARS FOR SEX CRIMES AGAINST UNDERAGE GIRLS
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By Jon Gambrell
Associated Press Writer
The Associated Press
Friday, November 13, 2009
Texarkana, Ark. (AP) -- Evangelist Tony Alamo was sentenced Friday to
175 years in prison for taking underage girls across state lines for
sex, effectively punishing him for the rest of his life for molesting
children he took as "brides" in his ministry.
During Friday's hearing, some of Alamo's victims testified about how
their families were destroyed while the evangelist took over their
lives.
Alamo, 75, had been convicted in July on a 10-count federal
indictment. U.S. District Judge Harry F. Barnes said Alamo used his
status as father figure and pastor and threatened and threatened the
girls with "the loss of their salvation."
"Mr. Alamo, one day you will face a higher a greater judge than me,
may he have mercy on your soul," Barnes said.
Just before Barnes sentenced Alamo, the evangelist offered a brief
statement to the court praising God then later adding:
"I'm glad I'm me and not the deceived people in the world."
Alamo's lawyers said they planned to appeal Barnes' ruling. His
defense offered a doctor who said he suffered from hardening
arteries, diabetes, glaucoma and other health problems. However on
cross-examination the doctor acknowledged he saw Alamo only once in
2004 and that the purpose of Alamo's visit was to get an eye lift to
make him appear younger.
The evangelist will stay in Texarkana pending a Jan. 13 hearing in
which Barnes will decide whether Alamo's victims will get restitution
from him. After that hearing, Barnes said Alamo would go to a federal
prison that has hospital facilities.
A woman Alamo took as a child "bride" at age 8 challenged the
evangelist from the witness stand Friday to submit himself to God's
judgment. Reading from lined notebook paper, she said Alamo tore her
family apart by taking her as a child bride and described how she
shook uncontrollably when he first molested her.
"You preyed on innocent children," she said staring down Alamo, who
wore yellow prison scrubs and a windbreaker for the hearing.
"You have the audacity to ask for mercy. What mercy did you show us?"
she said.
A moment later she asked, "What kind of man of God does what you have
done?"
The woman told Barnes that she planned to become an FBI agent in
order to help other child sex abuse victims.
Two other child brides testified. One, who said she is now employed
full-time and has a life of her own outside of the ministry, said she
hoped Alamo would spend the rest of his life in jail.
"Maybe the real God, not the God you made up, will have mercy on your
soul," the woman said.
Barnes said there was ample evidence that Alamo engaged in a pattern
of molesting younger and younger girls in his ministry.
Alamo accused his victims of lying, as he has done throughout his
prosecution.
End of forwarded article from:
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_EVANGELIST_CHILD_ABUSE?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US
Jai Maharaj, Jyotishi
Om Shanti
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