Ex-pastor of Buena Vista Church Found Guilty of Molesting Teenager

By Luanne Rife
Roanoke Times
October 9, 2014

http://www.roanoke.com/news/crime/ex-pastor-of-buena-vista-church-found-guilty-of-molesting/article_1f50ea42-b06d-5868-b52f-42ef0c297ae5.html

A Rockbridge County jury on Wednesday found a former Buena Vista preacher molested a teenage parishioner during the three years he attended the Pentecostal Outreach Church, and recommended the ex-pastor be sentenced to serve 35 years in prison.

“I will continue to say I’m not guilty, your honor,” Larry McKinley Clark told Rockbridge County Circuit Court Judge Michael Irvine before the judge agreed with the jury’s verdict and set sentencing for Jan. 5.

Defense attorney Kelly Cutler said Clark will appeal. The jury deliberated for less than an hour before returning guilty verdicts on all counts of indecent assault and having carnal knowledge of a minor.

“This is wonderful,” said prosecutor Christopher Billias. “It was such a fast deliberation. Usually it doesn’t go in our favor when it is so quick.”

The case hinged mostly on the testimony of the now 16-year-old boy who was reluctant to talk about the assaults and gave inconsistent answers under cross-examination. He strained to provide answers, and though allowed to testify via closed circuit television, he appeared distressed and confused.

The prosecution said that is typical behavior for a teenage victim of sexual abuse, especially when the assailant is viewed as God’s representative. The defense said it could also mean he was lying.

The jury believed the teen.

“He came across as a traumatized child. Thank God the jury was intelligent and saw that,” Billias said. “The boy has suffered.”

The jury found Clark guilty of three counts of indecent assault and two counts of corruption of a minor for the assaults on the youth, which began in 2011 and lasted for three years. One of the corruption charges was dismissed before the jury was charged.

Initially, Clark faced 28 charges related to this victim, but most of those counts were not pursued so as not to confuse the jury. He also is charged with molesting two other boys who attended his church.

Billias said that one of the alleged victims is distraught and has been institutionalized three times, making it unlikely that he would pursue those charges. The other victim will likely view this case as a victory for him as well, Billias said.

Clark’s attorney, Scott Livengood, pleaded with the jury for mercy. “Give him a second chance.”

Billias said Clark had convictions in the 1980 for embezzlement and larceny. He asked and received the maximum sentence, saying Clark took so much from the teen including the belief that a church that is supposed to be a safe place that would offer hope and comfort. Instead, the teen said the pastor molested him nearly every Sunday for three years after church services.

The defense called several parishioners, including other members of the youth group, to testify that they never saw Clark treat the victim in a special way, nor did they see the two of them alone.

The courtroom pews were lined with the victim’s family and with some of Clark’s former church members who haven’t withdrawn their support.

The teen’s mother bolted from the courtroom during closing arguments when Cutler portrayed the teen as craving attention because he came from a troubled home in which his mother failed him.

luanne.rife@roanoke.com 981-3209