IL Pastor Sentenced To 15 Years On Child Sex Charges

Religion News Service reports:

Mark Rivera, a former lay pastor in a conservative Anglican denomination who was convicted in December of felony child sexual abuse and assault, was sentenced on Monday afternoon (March 6) to 15 years in the department of corrections.

Judge John Barsanti of Illinois’ 16th Judicial Circuit Court in Kane County granted Rivera the minimum sentences for his crimes.

The judge earlier found Rivera guilty of two counts of predatory sexual assault of a victim under 13 years old (a Class X felony) and three counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a victim under 13 (a Class 2 felony).

Read the full article. I reported Rivera’s conviction in December, so our running tally of pedophile pastors is unchanged. At least for the next few hours, probably.

Former Anglican lay minister Mark Rivera has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for felony child sexual abuse and assault. “We’re relieved to be finally done, after waiting 1,389 days for this small amount of justice,” said the abuse survivor’s mother: https://t.co/JC5p0x8rx8

— Kathryn Post (@kathrynmaepost) March 6, 2023