Pastor James Lawson of Apostolic Life Church in Kosse, Texas, was sentenced to life in prison for sexually abusing a relative over the course of several years, starting when she was 4.
Editor’s note: This article refers to reports of disturbing child sex crimes that some readers might find triggering.
According to KWTX, the 62-year-old Lawson was convicted of “Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Young Child, Indecency with a Child by Contact, and Indecency with a Child by Exposure” by a Limestone County jury last week (Feb. 27).
A judge sentenced Lawson to life in prison.
Texas law requires someone convicted of continuous sexual abuse of a young child to serve out the full sentence without eligibility for parole.
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The victim’s trial testimony stated that the abuse started when she was 4 and occurred until she turned 12.
While the child was visiting the pastor’s home, with his wife present, Lawson would rub her genital area while he gave her rides on his four-wheeler. The victim said that the pastor would also sexually abuse her by squeezing her breasts, putting his hands up her shirt, and touching her genitals while she was in bed and sitting on his lap.
She testified that he would change his clothes in front of her and even went skinny dipping with her.
As the victim aged, she began to realize what Lawson was doing was wrong, but she feared that no one would believe her if she came forward, since Lawson was a pastor. So she remained silent.
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At 12, the victim posted a video on social media with the caption, “Your [relative] is a pastor, he would never touch you there.”
