A former pastor has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for child sex abuse that took place over the course of multiple years.
Jeffrey Charles, formerly of Neighbors to Nations Church in Princeton, Minnesota, was found guilty by a Wisconsin jury in January.
Editor’s note: This article refers to disturbing reports of child sex abuse, which some readers might find triggering.
Charles, 65, committed the crimes between 2005 and 2010, during which time he was pastor of Neighbors to Nations Church.
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The church has since changed its name to Souls Church.
The victim was 3 years old when the abuse began, and the abuse continued until the victim was 8. Charles perpetrated the abuse at his cabin in northwestern Wisconsin, where he was known to host members of the church.
The criminal case was filed in 2022. Charles was convicted of one count of repeated child sexual assault and is set to spend the rest of his life behind bars.
“This sentence sends an unmistakable message about the heinousness of this kind of criminal conduct,” said Attorney General Josh Kaul. “Thank you to the investigators and prosecutors who worked to get justice in this case.”
District Attorney Mark Fruehauf said, “The victim is to be commended for the patience and bravery she demonstrated testifying about these crimes to a jury.”
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“This case would not have been possible without the hard work of law enforcement and the assistance of the Department of Justice, for which I am grateful,” Fruehauf added.
