Pastor Gets 34 Years in Prison for Sex with Minors

By Ryan Laughlin
WDAZ
May 25, 2016

http://www.wdaz.com/news/minnesota/4041199-pastor-gets-34-years-prison-sex-minors

[with video]

A pastor is being put behind bars for sexually abusing minors. However, he insists he's innocent.

In Clearwater County a community is in disbelief, but prosecutors say there was a pattern of behavior that lead a jury to convict him.

Scott Morey was sentenced Wednesday to nearly 34 years behind bars for being found guilty of 13 charges of sexual conduct with a minor.

Rick Mollin, Clearwater County attorney: “The pattern of conduct that we persuaded the jury to convict him on, was a pattern of conduct which absolutely occurred without question.”

The two victims were minors close to Morey. A jury found him guilty on 13 of 14 charges in a trial that began in April. Today, through tears, Morey read from a 4 and a half page statement proclaiming his innocence, comparing the trial to the Salem witch trials.

Mollin: “You got to remember Mr. Morey was a pastor he's used to public speaking. He did a lot of it in his pastoral work. He felt compelled to take kind of a dramatic approach.”

It's been a mixed reaction from community members in McIntosh, one of the communities where Morey served as a pastor. But all-in-all, people surprised that something like this could happen in such a small community.

Morey served several different Lutheran churches in Bejou, Winger, and McIntosh. The judge said today he let those communities down.

Stephanie Lavoy, Morey's sister: “Obviously he's a minister that's part of the reason why he's here, we believe, because it makes good headlines.”

Morey's attorney says they are planning to appeal. It's not just the pastor insisting he's innocent, it's his family as well. But prosecution has another story.

Mollin: “It tells the public that people who do these kinds of things and are apprehended, they are looking at spending a great deal of the rest of their lives in prison.”