TEXARKANA, Ark. - Tony Alamo, who proclaimed himself as a prophet has been sentenced to a maximum allowable 175 years of imprisonment for sexual abuse by forcing underage girls into sham marriages with him.
The Evangelist took advantage of his influential figure as a father and a pastor to force himself upon impressionable girls who feared "the loss of their salvation."
U.S. District Judge Harry F. Barnes warned the 75-year-old preacher of another kind of justice awaiting for him and said, "Mr. Alamo, one day you will face a higher and a greater judge than me." "May he have mercy on your soul."
Barnes leveled the maximum sentence against Alamo, who preyed on followers' young daughters and took child "brides" as young as age 8.
Alamo was convicted by a jury in July for 10 counts of child indictment in taking the girls across state lines for sex.
Alamo made millions through his ministry and must pay $250,000 fines. The next hearing will be scheduled on January 13 whereby Barnes will determine if the five women who testified against Alamo will be paid restitution presumably in the amount of $2.7 million each of them for the physical and mental abuse they suffered.
"You are described by others who testified as a prophet of God, a person of trust, a person of supreme authority in the church," Barnes said, staring the pale preacher. "It's hard to imagine the scenario and the damage that occurred to these five young girls."
Alamo, who had muttered and cursed through his two-week trial, stood silently when the sentenced imposed to him, dressed in a yellow prison uniform and a blue windbreaker.
Before Barnes' ruling, Alamo told the judge, "I lean on the lord Jesus Christ."
No comments:
Post a Comment