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	Ex-Pastor Faces Jail in Sex Abuse By Chad Nation The World-Herald November 22, 2011 www.omaha.com/article/20111122/NEWS01/711239893/0 COUNCIL BLUFFS — A former Council Bluffs youth pastor accused of sexually exploiting teens as he tried to help them gain "sexual purity in the eyes of God" pleaded guilty Tuesday to three charges. Brent Girouex, 32, was initially charged with 61 counts of sexual exploitation by a counselor or therapist and 28 counts of third-degree sexual abuse related to acts he is alleged to have performed while a youth pastor with the Victory Fellowship Church. Assistant Pottawattamie County Attorney Dan McGinn said Girouex pleaded guilty to one count of third-degree sexual abuse and agreed to an Alford Plea — which means Girouex does not admit to specific elements of the offense, but admits a jury would most likely find him guilty at trial — to one count of felony sexual exploitation by a counselor or therapist and one count of misdemeanor sexual exploitation by a counselor or therapist. McGinn said Girouex faces a maximum of 17 years in prison when he is sentenced on March 7. The Rev. Lonnie Parton of Victory Fellowship Church said church leaders were stunned when four young men came forward with allegations against Girouex in February. Once Parton learned of the allegations, he said, he confronted Girouex and told him he needed to go to the police. He did so on Feb. 16. More victims came forward after that. Court documents indicated Girouex told investigators that as a youth pastor he felt it was his duty "to help (the teen) with homosexual urges by praying while he had sexual contact with him." McGinn said the number of charges initially filed would not have made it to a jury. After consultations with the Iowa Attorney General's Office, McGinn said, it was determined that only one felony charge of sexual exploitation by a counselor or therapist could be filed for each victim, not for each act against the victim. "If each victim was abused on more than one occasion, it would still only be one count," he said. McGinn said the victims in the case understand why so many charges have been whittled down to just three. "I think they have been understandably frustrated with how long it has taken, but they have been in the loop on how the legal arguments boiled down from the beginning," he said. Parton said he believes the victims feel "they are going to have justice" in the matter. "It has been a long process," Parton said. "I think (the victims) are a little relieved they will not have to go through a trial."
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