A former Michigan pastor will spend at least 10 years behind bars after pleading no contest to multiple child sex abuse charges. Michael Ronald Goble, 77, maintained at sentencing that he committed no crimes despite agreeing to a plea deal.
Editor’s note: This article refers to reports of child sex crimes that some readers might find triggering and/or disturbing.
Goble was formerly the pastor of the now-defunct Church of the Good Shepherd in Adrian, Michigan.
Goble was initially arrested in July 2024 after two victims came forward. Both were minors under the age of 13 at the time of the alleged abuse.
The two victims, who were brothers, alleged that Goble sexually abused them on separate occasions as they helped him with yard work at his home. Goble was charged with two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct.
At the time of his arrest, authorities indicated their belief that more victims existed, and in August 2024, Goble was arraigned on four additional charges: two counts of second degree criminal sexual conduct with a person younger than 13 and two counts of second degree criminal sexual conduct with a detained juvenile.
These new charges related to allegations from then-detained juveniles at Lenawee County’s juvenile detention facility.
In December 2024, Goble was hit with another charge after another underaged victim of Goble’s alleged abuse came forward to claim that Goble forced him to engage in oral sex.
By the time Goble was brought to trial, he was facing seven child sex abuse charges across the three cases. He pleaded no contest to three of the charges in exchange for the remaining four being dropped. Police said the plea agreement was offered to protect his victims from having to testify in open court “with the support of their families.”
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Goble has been sentenced to 10-15 years in prison and will be required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.
