BishopAccountability.org
	Pastor Guilty of Rape By Matt Elofson The Robesonian March 30, 2007 http://www.robesonian.com/articles/2007/03/30/news/news/story01.txt Lumberton — A former Parkton pastor has been sentenced to 15 to 18 years in prison for raping a 12-year-old girl who had his baby. The sentence came Tuesday after 42-year-old Ronald Lee Simpson pled guilty to having sex with the child from late 2003 to August 2004. He also pled guilty to molesting a 14-year-old girl at the Shannon church that he led. Assistant District Attorney Joe Osman was confident of a conviction had the case gone to trial. "One of the most important things in this case is the DNA evidence ... that would have proven he had sex with a minor child," Osman said. "You couple that with the testimony of the second victim and her description of how this occurred at her church by her pastor ... we had a very strong case against this defendant." The investigation began in the fall of 2004 when the Department of Social Services learned that the 12-year-old was pregnant. She told authorities that she had had sex with Simpson's 19-year-old stepson, Rodregous Wactor, but a paternity test showed that he was not the baby's father. The girl then said she also had sex with Simpson. Wactor pled guilty last year to molesting the girl. He was sentenced to 16 to 20 months, which were suspended, and three years probation. The child, who is now 2 years old, lives with his mother. Simpson molested the 14-year-old Red Springs girl while pastor at St. Matthew's Missionary Baptist Church in 2004. He resigned as pastor after allegations that he had molested the child. Sheriff's reports said the teenager was singled out by Simpson during Bible study and taken into his office. "The evidence showed the sex acts occurred against her during a church function at the church," Osman said. "He used his position as a pastor to commit these acts." Hugh Rogers, Simpson's lawyer, said his client accepted the plea in exchange for less prison time. Rogers said Simpson could have faced at least 50 years behind bars. "Technically, he has admitted his guilt before the court and was sentenced accordingly," Rogers said. "He was looking at a lot of time. My client and his family were extremely worried that he would get a much longer prison sentence." Superior Court Judge Lynn Johnson ordered Simpson to undergo psychiatric evaluation while in prison.
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.