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	2-year Sentence in Sex Abuse Case By Linda Thomson Deseret News February 17, 2009 http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705285704,00.html A pastor who taught at a Christian school in Washington County was sentenced to two years in jail Tuesday for two counts of attempted sexual abuse of an 11-year-old girl. Gabriel Carlin, 35, operated the East Harbor Christian Academy, which the girl attended, and also knew her and her family through their active membership in the Living Faith Community Church. Carlin was originally charged in 2006 with four counts of aggravated child sex abuse, all first-degree felonies. A plea deal amended that to two counts of attempted sexual abuse of a child, both third-degree felonies. However, Heidi Nestel, the attorney for the girl, said at one point Carlin had announced he might withdraw his guilty plea, which could mean the case would go to trial and the young girl would have to testify. The girl is now 14. Nestel said the protracted judicial process and the need to put this situation behind them prompted the girl and her family to agree to recommend a jail term rather than prison to the judge just to get Carlin sentenced. Nestel said time has benefitted Carlin because the case dragged on so long that the girl and her family have gotten worn down and simply want this to be over. "It was too excruciating to keep going," Nestel said. Fifth District Judge Eric Ludlow sentenced Carlin to two consecutive years in the Purgatory Correctional Facility and ordered three years of zero-tolerance probation, which means two consecutive terms of zero-to-five-years in prison could be imposed if Carlin does something wrong while on probation. "The judge was very emphatic in his sentencing," Nestel said. "He even told the defendant, 'Shame on you,' and made the defendant recite in detail what happened." Nestel described the girl as a bright young woman whose personality became more guarded as the case went on. "I think she will be able to live a happy life, but she definitely has trust issues," Nestel said. "This was her pastor and academic leader." The girl's aunt, Robin Guilfoyle, said this has been a difficult time for the whole family, but the girl is "strong and brave" and did a "phenomenal" job speaking in court about how this has affected her and her loved ones. Guilfoyle said the girl and her family have been in counseling since this occurred and the girl is doing as well as can be expected under the circumstances. "She was home schooled for a while because she was terrified of going to school, but she is back in school and is doing very well academically," Guilfoyle said. Contact: lindat@desnews.com
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