Be aware that this story might trigger certain viewers due to its details about sexual assault.
The former Ketchikan Church leader has been sentenced to 20-years of prison, with another 30 years suspended by an audiencia judge in the this week in a case that has gained attention for the sexual abuse of children.
This year, 72-year old Dwight “Chris” John was accused of 14 charges of the first degree, second degree and third-degree sexual abuse of a minor along with three criminal charges. John was once the pastor of Clover the Pass Churchadmitted guilt to the combined charges. His sentence was handed down on Thursday by a Superior Court Judge Katherine Lybrand.
Lybrand stated that the sentence she will issue will ensure the safety of the community. In the event that John gets released jail She said that John will be an old man and subject to a strict probation.
Lybrand recognized that the effects on the community and victims were immense, and her sentence was appropriate to reflect the impact.
The victim’s father took to the stage at the sentencing. He informed the court that his family members had only begun to be aware of the sorrow, pain and the damage John caused.
The victim, now a teenager, first complained about the abuse at the hands of their dad. They claimed that John was abusers from the age of nine. The father reported the incident the incident to Alaska State Troopers.
The father of the victim explained that the actions of the faith leader “tore the family apart and led for them to move out of the area and take a new start in another place.”
According to John’s initial charging documents according to the documents, he informed the child’s father on a call that was monitored by law enforcement authorities that he was considering not accept the position of leadership due to the violence. But he claimed he decided to do so because he believed God was forgiving him.
NOTE: Identifying details of the victim were deliberately left out of this article because KRBD’s policy is not to provide information about the victims of sexual assault.
