A former Louisiana pastor will serve seven years in prison after being convicted of indecent behavior with a juvenile. Milton O. Martin III, formerly pastor of First Pentecostal Church of Chalmette, received the maximum sentence.
Editor’s note: This article refers to reports of child sex abuse, which some readers might find triggering and/or disturbing.
Martin was initially arrested in March 2023 after a victim, now an adult, came forward to allege that Martin sexually assaulted her multiple times between 2010-2013 when she was between the ages of 14-17 years old.
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The victim alleged that upon Martin’s request, she engaged in oral sex with Martin as a 16-year-old in 2011. She also claims that Martin engaged in other indecent behavior against her when she was between the ages of 15 and 17.
The victim said that the abuse would occur when Martin took her on four-wheeler rides.
The victim also alleged that the church did nothing to investigate earlier claims of sexual abuse. It is unclear whether the church is still operating.
Martin was later arrested a second time after another alleged victim came forward to accuse Martin of sexually assaulting her in 1991 when she was 14 years old.
However, while the story of this second victim was told in court, Martin’s charges centered on the alleged incidents from 2010-2013.
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In December, Martin was tried for felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile and indecent behavior with a juvenile. The jury rendered a split verdict, acquitting Martin of the more serious charge of carnal knowledge of a juvenile while convicting him of indecent behavior with a juvenile.
