However, the judge indicated that he favored a higher bond, noting that the victim was a minor and that the inappropriate conduct began at a church, “which should be a safe haven for a child.”
Blackwelder, 28, has now pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual battery by a person in position of authority.
He has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for each count, a total of 60 years. However, 50 years of that sentence will be suspended, and Blackwelder will also get credit for two years of time served.
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Blackwelder has been ordered to pay nearly $8,000 in court costs and fines, and he will have to register as a sex offender when he’s released from prison.
