Dodge City pastor enters plea in sex crimes case

KWCH
July 9, 2014

http://www.kwch.com/news/local-news/dodge-city-pastor-reaches-plea-deal/26851752

A Dodge City pastor accused of sexual assault has struck a plea deal.

A Ford County judge sentenced Dr. Jerrold Ketner to 36 months probation after he pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual battery on Tuesday.

Ketner, who is 80-years-old, will not have to pay restitution, nor will he have to register as offender, but he was ordered not to have contact with the victim of the crime or her husband.

Carmen Montelongo says that's just not enough.

"I'm afraid. I'm going to be afraid to go out. Because with people like this, you don't know. You just don't know what's going to happen," said Montelongo through a translator. Montelongo speaks only Spanish.

She says she has the same fears now that she did when she decided to turn Ketner in, that he'll end up hurting someone else.

"Well, I think that the judge decided what seemed good to him. But I'm afraid for the community cause he's going to be out there," said Montelongo.

Ketner was arrested in March of 2014 after she reported he had raped and molested her over several months. In an exclusive interview, Montelongo told Eyewitness News, she went to Ketner for help, but when she couldn't pay, he demanded sexual favors instead.  She then videotaped one of the visits she had with Ketner and turned it over to police.

Ketner was later arrested on sexual assault charges. He was on house arrest and electronic monitoring pending his trial. Those restrictions were lifted as a part of his plea deal.

All other charges against him, including rape and blackmail, were also dismissed.

Montelongo believes the plea deal came because Ketner is a well known community leader and has money she doesn't.

"I don't have money," she said. "If I had had money, possibly I could have paid a good lawyer."