Pastor gets 20 years in prison for sex abuse

FAYETTE COUNTY, Iowa - A Westgate pastor was sentenced Monday in Fayette County District Court to 20 years for sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl in June 2009.

Timothy Parker, 40, a former pastor with St. Peter Lutheran Church in Westgate pleaded guilty to two counts of third-degree sexual abuse in November. Each abuse charge carries a 10 year prison term and judge ran them consecutively.

According to the criminal complaint, on three separate occasions, Parker fondled or performed oral sex on the girl. Deputies said the alleged incidents took place at the church parsonage in early June 2009.

Victim impact statements were read during the sentencing but First Judicial District Judge John Bauercamper would not release the written statements to the media. .

Parker still faces four counts of violating a no contact order in September. He is accused of attempting to contact the victim and family members by giving letters to Pastor Ronnie Koch, who was visiting Parker at the Fayette County jail. Koch, 44, of Fredericksburg was charged as an accessory for allegedly mailing the letters.

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