By Brian Smith
The Richmond Register
October 6, 2009
http://www.richmondregister.com/localnews/local_story_279065613.html
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| Gordon Lunceford, a city building inspector and former youth minister, confers with his attorney, Guthrie True of Frankfort, during a court appearance in Anderson County. |
A Richmond city building inspector accused of molesting two members of a Lawrenceburg church’s youth group in 1992 while serving as minister to the group was scheduled to return to an Anderson County courtroom this morning.
Gordon H. Lunceford, 47, was scheduled to appear before Anderson Circuit Judge Charles Hickman at 9 a.m. for a status conference in his case.
Lunceford is charged with six counts of third-degree rape, five counts of third-degree sodomy, one count of first-degree sexual abuse and one count of second-degree sexual abuse.
He is accused of molesting two members of the Lawrenceburg First Baptist Church youth group while working as the group’s minister between February and November 1992.
According to a Kentucky State Police news release, Lunceford had also served as a youth minister at churches in Madison and Franklin counties. Representatives from both First Baptist Church and Rosedale Baptist Church in Richmond told the Register in July that Lunceford had worked briefly with their congregations as well.
Lunceford was indicted by an Anderson County grand jury in June on the charges and surrendered to state police on June 5.
At a July 21 pretrial conference in Anderson Circuit Court, Lunceford, who is free on bond, had his $10,000 full cash bond amended to a 10 percent bond following a motion by his attorney, Guthrie True of Frankfort.
Lunceford is a building inspector with the city of Richmond, and remains employed by the city, former City Manager David Evans said in July. Lunceford had taken personal leave after his indictment, but returned to work before his July court appearance.
True asked Hickman at that appearance to preserve several motions related to discovery until this morning’s hearing. Commonwealth’s Attorney Laura Donnell, who prosecutes cases in Anderson, Shelby and Spencer counties, had provided True with a portion of the discovery materials in the case.
If convicted, Lunceford faces prison sentences of up to five years on each of the rape and sodomy charges as well as the first-degree abuse charge, and could receive up to 12 months in jail on the second-degree abuse charge.
Brian Smith may be reached at bsmith@richmondregister.com or at 624-6694.
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