Ex-Youth Pastor Admits Sexual Contact with Girl

The Associated Press
December 4, 2013

http://www.kpcnews.com/news/state/article_11503d51-8871-54ab-9fda-9c23adc890d8.html



A former youth pastor at a suburban Indianapolis church has pleaded guilty to charges that he had sexual contact with a girl who attended the church.

A Hancock County judge sentenced 61-year-old Steve Harding to spend two years in a community corrections program and a year on probation. Harding pleaded guilty on Tuesday to a felony charge of sexual misconduct with a minor for his actions while he was a youth pastor at New Palestine United Methodist Church.

 

The Daily Reporter reports ( http://bit.ly/1k9SYA7) prosecutors dropped a more serious charge of child molesting.

Judge Richard Culver told Harding he took advantage of the girl's trust in him as a family friend and mentor.

Authorities say the sexual conduct happened in 2009 and 2010 when the girl was 13 and 14.