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	Former Akron Minister Sentenced to 17.5 Years on Child Porn Charges Columbus Dispatch April 6, 2007 http://www.columbusdispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/2007/04/06/min.html Cleveland (AP) — A former pastor who subscribed to numerous Internet sites that provide photos and videos of minors engaged in sex acts was sentenced to serve 17.5 years in prison after he tearfully told a judge he never sexually assaulted anyone. Jerry Paull of Amherst pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cleveland in January to receipt of visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography. "When you feel sorry for yourself, you should think of those children," Judge Donald Nugent said during the Thursday's sentencing hearing. "You should be disgusted." A girl whose image was found on a computer in Paull's home wrote a letter to the judge. "Thinking about all those perverts viewing my body being ravished and hurt like that makes me feel like I was raped by each and every one of them," wrote the girl, now 17. "They have exploited me in the most horrible way. Please bring them to some real justice." Paull subscribed to Internet sites between 1997 and 2004 that showed minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and child pornography, according to court documents. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan said images found included small boys tied up and called it "pretty horrific stuff." Paull worked as minister for 36 years, most recently as pastor at Christ United Methodist church in Akron, Sullivan said. He said prosecutors do not believe children who worshipped at his church were involved. About a dozen friends and members of Paull's former church attended the sentencing hearing, many saying he did good works and they trusted him with their children. "I violated not only the law but my own values and the values of the church I worked for for many, many years," Paull said.
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