Crime & Safety
Pastor Sentenced For Sex Abuse Of Teen Girl
The pastor, who was already on the sex offender registry, admitted to sexually abusing a teen girl in 2016.
GENEVA, IL — A pastor found guilty of sexually assaulting a teen girl has been sentenced to prison. Ralphael Robinson, 41, was a convicted sex offender on the registry when he got his position as the pastor of the now-defunct Kingdom Church in North Aurora.
Robinson, 39 at the time of the assault, had pleaded guilty in Kane County Circuit Court to aggravated criminal sexual assault of a minor while in a position of trust and authority.
He'll serve 14 years in prison for the assault which happened April 18, 2016. The sentence comes as part of a plea deal in which Robinson admitted to aggravated criminal sexual abuse, a class 2 felony.
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“This defendant was this victim’s church pastor when he abused her, an appalling violation of a child’s trust," Kane County Assistant State's Attorney Debra Bree said.
Robinson, whom the church called an "apostle," knew the victim, the Kane County State's Attorney said in a release.
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Robinson "grabbed (the girl) by the wrist ... and begged her to have sex with him," according to an indictment, as reported by the Chicago Tribune.
Bree applauded the victim for coming forward immediately, and added commendation for those who supported her. "This victim showed amazing bravery by immediately reporting this defendant’s abuse to her parents, who promptly contacted authorities. Everyone who supported this child should be commended,” she said.
At the time of his arrest, Robinson, of Aurora, was on probation for having failed to report a new address to the sex offender registry, according to the Herald.
He was added to the registry after being convicted of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old when he was 25.
Illinois law dictates that the 896 days Robinson has spent jailed so far will be deducted from his sentence.
See more:
- Sex Offender Pastor Allegedly Abused Girl in Church
- Sex Offender Pastor Reportedly Begged Teen to Have Sex with Him
See a video of Robinson below uploaded by My Kingdom Church to YouTube:
Article image My Kingdom Church YouTube screenshot
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