FORT WORTH (TX)
Star-Telegram
By Ben Tinsley
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
FORT WORTH - The pastor and principal of a Haltom City Baptist church and school was convicted Monday of sexually molesting a boy he had mentored for years.
A Tarrant County jury deliberated for about five hours before convicting Jay Preston Connell of Landmark Baptist Church and Landmark Christian Academy of three counts of indecency with a child by contact and one count of indecent exposure to a child.
Connell's sentencing hearing begins at 9 a.m. today.
The boy Connell was convicted of molesting is now 16 and was molested for at least five years, prosecutor Steve Jumes said. Connell started mentoring the boy after the boy's father died several years ago. The boy last attended Connell's school in April 2004, Jumes said.