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[Artiste]

Plea deal for Fairfax pastor accused of sex abuse

By Justin Jouvenal

A Fairfax County pastor accused of molesting two boys in the 1990s has reached a plea deal with prosecutors in the cases, one of which was slated to go to trial Monday, according to court documents.

Under the agreement, Tommy R. Shelton Jr. 66, who served as a minister at the Community Church of God in the Dunn Loring area from 1995 to 2000, has entered what is known as Alford plea on four charges in one of the cases, according to court records. The charges in the second case will be dropped.

In an Alford plea, a defendant does not admit guilt but recognizes that prosecutors have enough evidence against him to obtain a conviction.

The sides did not reach agreement on a sentence. Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Brett A. Kassabian is scheduled to sentence Shelton on Feb. 24, and Shelton could face up to five years in prison on each charge.

In 2008, two men came forward to Fairfax County police and alleged that Shelton had molested them in the mid-’90s.

One man accused Shelton of fondling, kissing and performing oral sex on him when he was a 14-year-old boy around 1995. The man had gone to Shelton for counseling and piano lessons and two of the alleged assaults occurred inside the church, the man testified at a preliminary hearing in May 2010.

A second man testified that Shelton would direct him into the the woods during bicycle rides and then fondle him. The man said the assaults ocurred in 1997, when he was 11 years old.

In July 2010, Shelton reached an agreement with prosecutors to plead guilty to two felony counts of taking indecent liberties with a child under his supervision. A judge later rejected that deal because it did not put the pastor behind bars.

At the time, Commonwealth’s Attorney Katherine E. Stott said she agreed to the deal because there was no forensic evidence, corroborating witnesses or confession, and Shelton would have witnesses testify positively about him.

When the judge rejected the deal, Shelton withdrew his guilty plea .

Under the new plea deal, Shelton entered Alford pleas on two counts of crimes against nature for having oral sex with one of the boys and two counts of sexually abusing a child that he had a supervisory relationship over, according to court records.

By    Justin Jouvenal  |  02:57 PM ET, 01/24/2012

[Artiste]

Since the plea deal was for four charges, each one up to five years in prison, Tommy Shelton could face up to 20 years in prison.

[Johann]

Have just been reading our Sabbath School lesson on judgment and grace. How can we avoid the judgment? Most people think it is justice when the police gives a ticket for speeding - but we do everything we can to be punished ourselves.

What would we do to avoid a long term in jail?

[Gregory]

Artiste said:

Since the plea deal was for four charges, each one up to five years in prison, Tommy Shelton could face up to 20 years in prison.

Maybe?

Maybe not?

When convicted on multiple charges, a judge can order concurrent sentences.  If so, TS would face up to five (5) years in prison.  Unless otherwise stated, the sentences would be concurrent.

[Alex L. Walker]

Here is the facts:

Tommy Shelton is facing years not months.

The other side seems to believe he will get a few months. That is completely laughable.

Tommy is NOT going to sit in the county jail.

He is going to Prison.

[Johann]

I  have been wondering why he is in the county jail. Wasn't he on bail?

Anyone know the difference in accommodations in the jail and in prison?

[Johann]

Did any one of you see Orpah with 200 male victims of sexual crimes committed by fathers and fathers (priests)?

[Alex L. Walker]

Johann:

His bail was revoked. He is sitting in county jail pending sentencing the 24th.

After that he will be sitting in Prison.

Johann: As a child molestor he will have no special accomidations. In fact, he will be one of the most hated in prison. Other inmates give "child molestors" special treatment......none of which is good.

Let's just say he will get the same treatment and cruelty that his victims have been through. There is a "Bubba" anxiously awaiting Tommy's arrival.

[Alex L. Walker]

I refuse to watch Oprah. She is a bottom feeder. One of the most worthless celebrities ever.

[Gregory]

As a child molestor he will have no special accomidations.

I thought that he would have to have special accomodations to protect him from the other inmates.

[GRAT]

Did any one of you see Orpah with 200 male victims of sexual crimes committed by fathers and fathers (priests)?

I watched it.  It was actually very moving, incredibly sad and made me very angry at the scum who forever changed those boys lives.   Each man held a picture of himself taken at the age when he was molested. 

[daylily]

A member of our church is a prison guard. Child molesters are housed in different units, away from other prisoners.

Also gang members are housed in different units but all gang members are together! They have a lot of altercations between the different gangs.

[Alex L. Walker]

OK, so you're telling me.....that they house the child molestors together?

That may be true. I am not familiar with the prison system that much.

I still don't think that would protect Tommy from another inmate (whether the be a co-child molestor or not) from giving Tommy a dose of his own medicine.

[Alex L. Walker]

And to be honest....A child molestor should be sent right to general population. Why do they need protection?

Because they are one of the most hated individuals in prison society.

To be fair, The US, is too lenient on Sex offenders. I say demolish them, but that's just me.

[Snoopy]

I think you are more than entitled to that opinion, Alex.