Former Gilmer Pastor Sentenced to Six Life Sentences in Child Sex Abuse Case

By Sarah Thomas
The News-Journal
October 16, 2013

http://www.news-journal.com/news/police/ex-pastor-convicted-in-child-sex-case/article_10d3738f-c841-5be0-a44e-bde0ad26695a.html

Ex-pastor convicted in child sex case

A former Gilmer pastor found guilty on multiple child sex charges will not be eligible for parole for 180 years.

Judge Lauren Parish on Tuesday sentenced Hugo Fluellen, 54, to six consecutive life sentences.

Fluellen’s wife, Rosie Evans Fluellen, 44, remains in the Upshur County Jail on Tuesday under $150,000 bond on a charge of sexual assault of a child, said Upshur County District Attorney Billy Byrd said.

“She knew about it and was a party to the crime,” Byrd said.

The trial started Monday in the 115th Judicial District Court, during which the jury heard evidence that Hugo Fluellen sexually abused his victim for a decade.

The jury was presented evidence that showed Hugo Fluellen began inappropriately touching his victim when she was in the second grade and while he was a pastor, Byrd said.

“Witness testimony indicated that Fluellen would often molest his victim on the way home from church after she had attended church and sang in the choir,” Byrd wrote. “Hugo molested his victim up until late 2012, when he was arrested on several counts of indecency with a child, aggravated sexual assault of a child and sexual assault of a child.”

DNA evidence also showed Fluellen fathered a child with the victim.

“The victim courageously took the witness stand and identified the defendant and described in detail the abuse that occurred to her inside her bedroom, at the church and while riding in the church vehicle on a local Gilmer road,” Byrd said.

A Gilmer jury found Fluellen guilty, and Parish assessed punishment.

In 1987, Hugo Fluellen was convicted and sentenced to seven years in prison for sexual assault of a child.

Based on that previous sentence, Byrd filed an enhancement that resulted in automatic life sentences on each count in the indictment.

Hugo Fluellen was prosecuted by Byrd and Upshur County Assistant District Attorney Natalie Miller. The lead investigator was Chris Clark from the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office.

Contact: sthomas@news-journal.com