A former Tusla pastor is spending the rest of his life in jail. He pleaded with the judge to consider all the good things he has done in the community through his ministry. However, the district judge did not show mercy onGregory Hawkins who had been in a relationship with a 14-year-old member of his congregation for more than a year before she got pregnant.

The former pastor's fate

Before the judge sentenced the pastor to seven life imprisonments, Hawkins had been arrested twice and served 22 months in jail. He had been warned not to make contact with the minor.

The 56-year-old man of the cloth ignored the warnings and kept seeing the girl. He claims he isin love with her, and he didn't deny having sex with the child. The judge gave him seven life sentences to be runconcurrently. The former pastor of Zion Fellowship Church must serveat least 85 percent of those life sentences.

About the 14-year-old mother

The minor went to the police as soon as she discovered she was pregnant by the pastor. Prosecutors stated that Hawkins pleaded with the minor to lie to investigators that it was her mother who forced her into prostitution. While the mother was at work, the pastor would pick up the girl and take her to motels. Sometimes they would have sex in the church.

Court records indicate the father of the child advised the girl to have an abortion. He allegedlytold her if she didn’t report him to the police, he would buy her a car and a house. He would also pay for her college education. The mother of the minor girl filed a lawsuit for more than a $1 million against Hawkins, Zion Fellowship Church, and two Department of Human Services directors as well as other DHS workers.

After the baby was born, blood tests proved that Hawkins is the baby’s father. The baby was given up for adoption. The young mother is now attending a two-year women’s program out of state. She is getting counseling and working on her GED. Hawkins is still in jail serving his life sentences.He is believed that he will never get out to have sex with any more minors.