Saturday, March 23, 2013

Pastor only receives a 12 year sentence for the statutory rape of an underage teenage girl. Not nearly enough, not by a long shot.

More from the Chicago Tribune:

 In a statement, the victim wrote that Schaap would text her from the altar during his sermons. In another statement, written as a letter to Schaap, she wrote: “When you first kissed me I was shocked. . .When I asked you if it was wrong, you said ‘No.’ You told me that I was sent you from God, I was his gift to you. You made me feel special.” 

Schaap entered a guilty plea last September in a deal with federal prosecutors, admitting to allegations that led to his ouster from the highly conservative Hammond Baptist Church that his late father in-law, Jack Hyles, had built into one of the area’s largest churches. 

But at sentencing today, U.S. District Court Judge Rudy Lozano said a 10-year-deal hammered out by both sides did not meet the 12-year-minimum required under federal sentencing guidelines. Schaap stared at the judge without emotion. 

While Lozano lauded Schaap for quickly pleading guilty last fall before the complaint was even filed, Lozano said he did not want to set the example by "giving a 25 percent discount" for that cooperation. 

While Schaap eventually took responsibility for his actions Schaap initially denied the allegations when he was confronted by church officials, Lozano said. In explanations for the stiffer sentence, the judge pointed to Schaap's attempts to get rid of evidence by deleting text messages and photos of him with the girl and that the pastor also fired at least one church staffer who had questioned the pastor's relationship with the girl, Lozano said. 

"Schaap initially denied the allegations when confronted." How Christian of him.

So this sleazy piece of shit used the trust of this child to convince her that the God which she believes in, and who she also believed he spoke on behalf of, had provided her to him to violate? That one of the most hateful things that I can imagine a person doing to a trusting. deeply religious child.

You know I don't believe in hell, but once in a while I wish I was wrong. Because in this case it simply does not feel that this sentence is nearly enough.

Perhaps the most disgusting part is how his congregation made excuses on his behalf.

More than 100 letters of support were sent to Lozano, attesting to decades of good works by the pastor, and claiming that stress and health problems— including prostate troubles and “low lithium levels”— led Schaap to stray during a romantic relationship with the vulnerable teen.

That is the kind of loyalty that only comes when somebody has been convinced that a person is "special" and has some unique insight or relationship with a higher power.

They are conditioned to trust him, and so trust him they do. As did this poor young girl, who now will forever fear to trust anybody EVER again.

16 comments:

  1. Anonymous3:11 PM

    There isn't a place called hell, but prison is the next best thing.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous3:23 PM

    Well, G - unfortunately, it doesn't take church related specialness to have 'good' people come out of the woodwork to stand up for those who've committed horrible crimes (especially those who victimize children) - remember Penn State? Also, I once covered a trial of a local poet who had abused his son along from the time he was five (the son was 17 at the time of the trial) and at least 36 other young boys who were identified. Investigators said they felt there were many more. This educated, literate, and talented man had apparently been abusing since his 20s - more than 40 years. Yet despite the proven history, more than 100 local people wrote letters and came to court to show their support for this man. Far fewer offered support to the son, the wife, or the other victims.

    Some people apparently can't conceive that a man (particularly an educated white man) can be a monster. And the abused are ignored and continue to suffer into adulthood - that is those who don't end up taking their own lives.

    Hard to read this stuff. Bad for my blood pressure.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous3:51 PM

    The creep probably couldn't have been charged if this happened in Alaska where a 16-year old girl is considered of age to consent to sex. Ironically, the same girl would need the consent of either her parents or a judge to obtain an abortion.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Isabella4:31 PM

      That's horrible and depressing..to heck with this ril reality, going back to the Palin thread where the horribleness is funny!

      Delete
    2. Anonymous4:50 PM

      Rules made by men for men. Some pathetic women enable them but, in general, it's a man's world when it is about sexual abuse.

      Delete
  4. Anonymous4:09 PM

    Another Republican...holier than thou...Bet he voted straight Republican and urged his followers to do the same..

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  5. Anonymous4:47 PM

    We don't do enough castrating in this country. I'd let him say one 'Our Father" for anesthesia.

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  6. One of the sad parts of this sentence?

    It's still a longer sentence than most child molesters get.

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  7. Anonymous5:53 PM

    "Low lithium levels" ???? So, THAT'S why Startrek had DiLithium Crystals for the power source of the Enterprise.... Kinda like Viagra for the spaceship, eh?

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  8. Decades of alleged 'good works' by the Pastor do not mitigate the crime he committed. The congregation should be ashamed of themselves.

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  9. Anita Winecooler7:30 PM

    Typical, he gets a dozen years, the victim gets life.

    What's wrong with this picture?

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  10. Anonymous9:04 PM

    Sick,sick sheeple. Aside from the harm this young girl will live with the rest of her life I am also sickened by the congregation’s excuses. Low lithium? And, this guy was in a pastoral situation in the first place? Sick.

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  11. Anonymous3:34 AM

    This is the same shit the Catholics in Dallas in the 80's pulled only they slut shamed the victims of child abuse and shunned the families that reported it on their beloved priests.
    head in the sand is wide spread in humans, especially religiously oriented ones.

    ReplyDelete
  12. SHARON6:22 AM

    Ahhhh religion....what would we do without it, an excuse for everything. What a shameful story, but at least he is going to prison where I am sure the rest of that population is going to enjoy having him, it's more than your average Catholic priest is going to get.

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  13. Anonymous5:12 PM

    I'm pretty sure she could have said no or told somebody when it first happened. She may have been innocent and violated the first time but after that she knew what she was doing and allowed it to continue. Did he take advantage of her? Yes. But at the same time why didn't she tell someone if she truly felt violated

    ReplyDelete

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