Minister admits having sex with juvenile

http://www.columbiatribune.com/2007/Feb/20070227News006.asp

 

Minister admits having sex with juvenile

 

A former Columbia minister was sentenced to 14 years in prisonyesterday for sexually abusing a 15-year-old girl who attended hischurch services in Columbia.

 

In a plea agreement, Roberto Edgar Lopez, 37, of Monett pleadedguilty to second-degree statutory sodomy and second-degree statutoryrape. Circuit Judge Gene Hamilton sentenced him to consecutiveseven-year sentences.

"I'm going to pay for what I did," Lopez told Hamilton at thesentencing hearing, when he admitted having intercourse with the victim.

Lopez, whose jury trial was set for today, said he accepted the plea agreement to avoid additional charges in the case.

Assistant Prosecutor Nicole Gorovsky said she added a charge ofendangering the welfare of a child but dropped it as part of the guiltyplea.

In cases that involve sexual abuse against children, a plea agreementis sometimes the best option to protect the underage victim from havingto testify at trial, Gorovsky said.

"There is that balancing act," she said. "We're willing to go to trialin the interest of justice, but we want to protect her as much aspossible. And in that balancing act, we came up with the plea that wedid."

Public Defender Michael Coles, who represented Lopez, declined to discuss the case.

Columbia police received a complaint in July after the victim's motherfound suspicious instant messages on her home computer. The messagesindicated her daughter had been corresponding with Lopez.

The victim's father, who lives out of state, reported finding similarinstant messages on his computer, which his daughter used during visitswith him.

A probable cause statement filed in Boone County Circuit Court said thegirl told investigators Lopez and she began their relationship by"kissing and cuddling" and that his suggestions to her became morephysical after her 14th birthday in 2005. According to the courtdocument, the girl said they had various kinds of sexual activity twoto three times a week at his residence, in his vehicle and once at aColumbia motel.

Lopez was minister of Iglesia Metodista Unida Hispana, aSpanish-language ministry supported by Fairview United MethodistChurch.

In the summer, Lopez was transferred to Monett to start a Spanish-language United Methodist church there.

In a prepared statement, Karen Gordy-Panhorst, spokeswoman for the Missouri Conference of the United Methodist Church, said:

"This is a painful and difficult situation for everyone involved. Weare keeping everyone involved, including the person who came forward,the congregations Mr. Lopez served and Mr. Lopez and his family, in ourprayers as we move toward healing and justice."

"Sexual misconduct is a violation of the sacred trust held by clergyand counter to the mission and ministry of the Church," the releaseadded.

Gordy-Panhorst said there had been no other complaints against Lopez of sexual misconduct.

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Reach Joe Meyer at (573) 815-1718 or jmeyer@tribmail.com.