Former preacher sentenced to more than 205 years in prison
Jason...@virgin.net
RIVERSIDE, Calif. (AP) -- A former preacher convicted of raping a
teen-age girl in his church office has been sentenced to 205 years and
eight months in prison.
Kerry Clyde Martin, a former minister at Temecula Valley Baptist Church,
received the maximum sentence allowed by law.
"I have no way of knowing when or if my children or grandchildren will
be safe in a church setting if they encounter Kerry Martin or someone
like him," Superior Court Judge Russell F. Schooling said. "We have to
stand as a civilized society. We cannot stand by idly and watch this
activity occur. Our children need protecting."
Martin, 43, was sentenced Friday, exactly two years after he was first
accused by the girl of sexually assaulting her. The assaults began when
the girl was 14 and ended 20 months later, prosecutors said.
The victim, now 18 and living in another state, told the court, "I will
never feel safe until he is behind bars forever."
"He's had so many chances to get right," she said. "I want him to go
through the hell I've gone through."
At trial, three other women told a jury that Martin used his charm and
position as a youth pastor to befriend and later molest them. He was
never charged with any crimes in connection with those women.
But in July 1997, he was arrested after being found with a teen-age
member of the church cleaning crew, authorities said. While awaiting
trial, he was arrested for allegedly soliciting an undercover police
officer for sex.
Defense attorney Dale Earven and Martin's pregnant wife, Kristal,
pleaded for leniency during the emotional sentencing hearing. Earven has
never denied that Martin and the girl were sexually involved but has
claimed that the former minister never forced the girl into any physical
encounter.
Prosecutor Deena Bennett argued that Martin's history of sexual
misconduct demanded the maximum sentence.
In April, jurors found Martin guilty of 20 counts each of lewd and
lascivious behavior and five counts each of rape and statutory rape.