DETROIT – A Detroit church pastor who was convicted of raping a 13-year-old girl in his congregation has been sentenced to 40 years in prison.
Timothy Ward Jackson, 46, was pastor of Abundant Life Church before being convicted on six counts of criminal sexual conduct.
At his sentencing Tuesday, the young victim said it took a lot of courage to speak up.
"There were so many people close to him and he had manipulated their minds. He was all talking to him and stuff. So, I never thought that people would probably believe me. The people from the church, they still don't believe me," she said.
Before the judge, Jackson repeated his claim that he was wrongly convicted.
The mother of the victim said Jackson will have to make his own peace with God.
"God knows … if there is a mother out there, if you have a child out there or if you've been affected, you should speak. You should not hold it in," she said. "You should have enough courage to say something."