Former Youth Pastor Sentenced in Sex Abuse Case

KCCI
March 7, 2012

http://www.kcci.com/news/30631507/detail.html

A former youth pastor accused of sexually abusing a half-dozen boys and men has been put on probation and ordered to get sex offender treatment.

A judge told Brent Girouex "because this is a sexual abuse case, you are committed to custody of the Department of Corrections for rest of your life."

Girouex told his victims he was trying to help them gain "sexual purity in the eyes of God," according to court documents obtained by the KETV-TV.

Prosecutors said Girouex sexually abused the victims at their homes, and not at Victory Fellowship Church, where he worked.

Early in the case, dating to March 2011, Girouex faced 89 charges. Pottawattamie County prosecutors then consolidated the charges.

Girouex pleaded guilty to one count of third-degree sexual abuse in November. He also entered an Alford plea to two counts of sexual exploitation by a counselor or therapist, admitting that prosecutors had enough evidence to find him guilty.

Girouex must register as a sex offender.

If Girouex violates his probation, he'll face the maximum penalty for two counts of sexual exploitation and one count of third-degree sexual abuse.