Russell Back in Court, John Ford, Neosho Daily News, October 28, 2009

Russell Back in Court

By John Ford
Neosho Daily News
October 28, 2009

http://www.neoshodailynews.com/news/x665153110/Russell-back-in-court

Randall "Danny" Russell

A rural Neosho self-proclaimed pastor sentenced to 15 years in prison earlier this year on charges of felony first-degree child molestation and child enticement charges was back in court Tuesday.

Randall “Danny” Russell, 50, pastor of Acts II Church in rural Neosho, appeared before Presiding Judge Timothy Perigo Tuesday on what Newton County Assistant Prosecutor Bill Dobbs deemed a “housekeeping matter.”

“We had him charged under a revised statute and it wasn’t applicable to the date of the offense,” Dobbs said. “The event occurred in late ’96 or early ’97. At that time, child molestation in the first degree was a Class C felony.”

Russell was charged with a Class B felony, which carries a stiffer penalty. Under Tuesday’s revision, the sentence for the child molestation charge was shortened to seven years.

However, as the sentence runs concurrent, or at the same time, with a 15-year prison term for felony child enticement, the actual amount Russell spends in prison will not be shortened. Russell still must serve at least 85 percent of the total prison term, or 13 ? years, before he is considered for release.

While in prison, Russell will have to complete a state sex offender program, which lasts about two years.

In March, Russell pleaded guilty to the charges as part of a plea bargain agreement. He was originally charged with two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, six counts of possession of child pornography, a count of second-degree statutory rape, two countsof first-degree sodomy, a count of felony child abuse, two felony counts of child molestation and a misdemeanor charge of child molestation.

Allegations of child sexual abuse first came to light after an April 29 raid by the Newton County Sheriff’s Department at Russell’s church, which is also the site of Russell’s business, Garages & More, and his home. Deputies seized a computer from the business and several photographs of a nude juvenile girl from the church office. According to a probable cause affidavit, the photos were dated Dec. 21, 2003. Russell was bound over for trial when three women testified during a preliminary hearing that he had molested, sodomized or raped them when they were under age.

Dobbs said the county came to the agreement after meeting with three young women who accused Russell of having sexual intercourse with them while they were under age. The agreement spared the women of having to testify during a trial.