Tuesday, November 03, 2009
The former pastor of Bellmead Baptist Church was sentenced to 50 years in prison Monday after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a young church member who considered him her “spiritual mentor.”
William Frank Brown, 45, pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated sexual assault in a plea bargain in which prosecutors also agreed to dismiss four counts of indecency with a child.
Judge Ralph Strother of Waco’s 19th State District Court sentenced Brown to four concurrent 50-year sentences, although he said he was “somewhat reluctant” to accept the plea agreement.
Brown, who sobbed during a victim-impact statement by the victim and her sister, must serve at least 25 years before he is eligible for parole.
“I forgive you,” the 13-year-old girl told Brown. “I’m sorry your sin put you here before you realized how much pain you caused in so many people’s lives.”
The indictment alleges that Brown abused the young girl from 2005 to May 2007. The allegations surfaced when the girl told a school counselor about the abuse, according to court documents. She told Brown that the abuse and its aftermath caused her “depression to hit an all-time low.”
Prosecutor Beth Toben said it would have been difficult for the girl to testify at trial because she and Brown had a close relationship and she considered him her “spiritual mentor.” When Brown was willing to plead guilty, it was the first step in the victim putting the abuse behind her and getting on with her life, Toben said.
“This man was a minister, yet there was a dark side to him,” she said. “People think these types of crimes only happen in certain types of neighborhoods. This shows that it can happen anywhere.”
Brown’s attorney, Scott Peterson, said about a dozen of Brown’s former parishioners wrote letters of support to prosecutors before the plea agreement was ironed out.
“It obviously is a sad situation,” Peterson said. “But does it not epitomize in some ways the duality of human nature? That we have the capacity to be both good and bad? Here you have a man who did a lot of good for a lot of people and there was an outpouring of support from many of them. But there was a darker side. You hate to see a man judged by a singular wrongful act or a single wrong choice.”
The initial allegations against Brown charged that he had abused two girls. However, he was indicted in the abuse of only one of the girls because investigators determined that the other girl reportedly was abused in another state, outside the jurisdiction of McLennan County prosecutors.
Toben said authorities in Illinois have been made aware of the allegations.
twitherspoon@wacotrib.com
757-5737
Comments
By anonymuse
Nov 5, 2009 9:18 PM | Link to this
we are nobody to judge this guy. he was tempted by the devil so dont judge what you call 'christans' not all are the same. let God judge this person he will decide if he is guilty or not!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By anonymuse
Nov 5, 2009 9:16 PM | Link to this
we are nobody to judge this guy. he was tempted by the devil so dont judge what you call 'christans' not all are the same. let God judge this person he will decide if he is guilty or not!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By Amen Obadiah
Nov 4, 2009 9:58 AM | Link to this
Well said. Although probably uniformly rejected here in Jerusalem on the Brazos.
By T.K.SMITH
Nov 3, 2009 7:54 PM | Link to this
I KNEW A PROFESSIONAL CHIROPRACTOR, VERY FAMILY ORIENTED, MEMBERS OF A WELL KNOWN CHURCH, VERY CHRISTIAN FAMILY. WELL GUESS WHAT HE WAS A WACKO FROM WACO.
IN MY OPINION..MEN THAT ARE "CHRISTIAN" AND DECIATED TO THEIR CHURCH THINK THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH "CRIME" BECAUSE WHO IS GOING TO SUSPECT THEM?? WELL...THOSE SHOULD BE THE ONES TOO WATCH OUT FOR. NOT ALL MINISTERS OR PROFESSIONALS ARE THAT WAY. I'M JUST SAYING DON'T TRUST ANYONE...!!!!!!!!!! BECAUSE THIS WACKO FROM WACO TRIED TALKING HIS WAY OUT OF HIS MISCHIEF. GUESS WHAT??? DIDN'T WORK.
By suzy
Nov 3, 2009 7:17 PM | Link to this
What makes people sooo sick!
This is just beyond my understanding.
How does a person get "pleasure" out of abusing young children, especially their own.
How can a person live in the house with them and look at them everyday!
Just beyond any comprehension!!!!!!
By former member
Nov 3, 2009 7:06 PM | Link to this
How very sad. I also am very proud of the young lady. I cannot begin to understand how Mr. Brown could have done this. I am sad that he was able to pull off the plea agreement. I hope that he is never allowed out of prison and pray for his children. I hope that the children get a little peace finally and hopefully feel safe. So sorry for their pain.
By Obadiah Sheeply
Nov 3, 2009 7:01 PM | Link to this
The elephant in the room in all this ( or should I say completely absent) is god. You see these cases all the time and they are chronicled in the Black Collar Crime Blotter of the newsletter of the Freedom from Religion Foundation. If there is a loving god, a) why does he not prevent such travesties and b) would he not have some influence over "his servants on earth" so that they would not perpetrate such gross indecencies? Obviously not. Oh yeah, I forgot: When something good happens we give all credit and glory to god for it having happened, but when something bad happens we chalk it up to "free will" or "well if there wasn't bad we would not be able to distinguish it from the good." Sheesh! What a pile of contradictions! Chalk another one up for the argument from evil regarding the existence of an all powerful, and all loving god. Coupling this with the fact that you do not need a god to be moral tells me what it is most reasonable to believe: God does not exist and prayer does not work.
By In the know
Nov 3, 2009 4:07 PM | Link to this
One thing, Larrye Weaver. Learn English...learn to spell...and KNOW what you're talking about, because in this case, you obviously don't know facts. So, in response to your question of "Where is Mom and Dad?" Well, it's obvious, we know what dad was doing! And he's NOT innocent.
By I know the facts here
Nov 3, 2009 3:14 PM | Link to this
PEOPLE, PEOPLE, put two and two together. The victims WERE his OWN KIDS. It's fact, not fiction...so, NOW do you know where the parents were. Supposedly, Mom didn't know, but I wouldn't bet on it. And CHUCK, it was the Bellmead First Baptist Church. His own kids, whom he'll never see graduate, walk them down the aisle, see grandkids...he's getting EXACTLY what he deserves. He's a piece of crap that needs to stay in prison!
By TexasPappaw
Nov 3, 2009 2:43 PM | Link to this
It's a great day in the justice system,,,FINALLY they got one right this time.I'm also glad that the abused young girls and their family got some closure on this horrible ordeal,,,he's gettin exactally what he deserves.Praise the Lord for that. Remember MR.BROWN,,,The Bible says yours SINS shall find you out. I feel you should have to do the whole 50 yrs. It's a piece of trash like you that's givin the really good pastors a bad name and makin it hard to minister to REAL christians.GOD HELP YOU SIR... if I had my way he wouldn't get parole... I'll be praying for those girls an their family,I pray God truely blesses them all!!! TexasPappaw...
[1 2 3] next
Commenting is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. M-F, except on Tuesday when it's open until 9 p.m.
Post a comment
*HTML not allowed in comments. Your e-mail address is required.