A Fairbanks jury found Shawn Anthony Justice, 32, guilty of most of the charges, but deadlocked on three charges and found him not guilty of one count after more than week of testimony. Each count of second-degree sexual abuse of a minor is a class B felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Justice was remanded to Fairbanks Correctional Center immediately after the verdict, Fairbanks District Attorney Mike Gray stated in an e-mail. Sentencing is scheduled for March 24 before Superior Court Judge Michael McConahy.
“(Assistant District Attorney) Gayle Garrigues and Paralegal Marja Hallsten did a great job with a difficult case,” Gray said. “I was very pleased with their effort and with the result.”
Prosecutors will not seek to re-try Justice on the three charges the jury could not reach a verdict on, Gray said.
Justice met the now-15-year-old victim when he was pastor of Corinthian Baptist Church in 2007.
She testified during the trial that Justice began sending her text messages of a sexual nature the following year.
Her parents began monitoring her phone and computer use, but she said she sneaked out of her house on multiple occasions in 2009 to have sex with Justice at his apartment.
Justice was dismissed as pastor of the church in August 2008. He then led a satellite church, also in Fairbanks.
His firing by church elders led to a lengthy court battle about whether a church’s leadership or its congregation has the right to fire a pastor. That case ultimately was dismissed.
During the trial, jurors also heard about Justice’s 2003 misdemeanor conviction for contributing to the delinquency of a minor in Virginia.
In that case, Justice, then 24 years-old and a church choir director, had sex with a 15-year-old member of the choir.
Contact staff writer Chris Freiberg at 459-7545.
No, AlaskaBorn, not only harm, but important information as to just how deep this sickness is in our society, and that it's probably a lot closer to home than anyone would want.
As the father of 5, with all but one over the age of 18, I offer this;
Parenting is a tightrope walk that starts the moment a child can move on their own. A parent has to balance the desire to protect a child from every harm, and the need to produce a person capable of performing as an adult when they become 18. Parents need to pull back, all the while knowing that potential harm awaits.
Sad, sick comments from deviants provides no help, only harm.
You are terribly wrong regarding this issue.
Young people will stretch their bounds whether it makes sense or not. Testing the bounds is natural and thus they learn how to become adults.
Shawn Justice and mature adults differ in the way a child is treated. Justice sees a chance to take advantage of the child; suiting his own terrible needs. Mature adults see the child testing their wings and do no harm; either ignoring the child or setting them straight.
I hope the child gets help for her own issues and has learned a lesson. Hopefully the family is all the wiser and can heal.
sad sad comment, blame the parents for that? you gota be kidding me, he was not looking for love, he was looking for some kid to abuse, unfortunately he founsd someone.
Are you freaking kidding me? Don't blame the Pastor? Sure, the parents deserve some blame, but the real ultimate blame lies with the adult who did the crime. Your attempt at moving the blame from the person who commited the crime is disgusting and typical of an abuser.
They are subject to mistakes like anyone else. I just hope people can see through this and follow the Lord instead of the preacher.
Plea arrangements are done partly to remove the uncertainty for both sides about what a jury would do and to avoid having a victim/child testify.
In this case, the child did have to testify and there is no longer any uncertainty about what the jury will do.
The judge gets to set the sentence.
It's also a pleasure to read an article that doesn't include ice.