Before sentencing Mohler told Judge Christopher Gee he never intended to hurt the girl, her family or the First United Methodist Church where he was employed. He was relieved of his church duties when the original allegations surfaced.
“I will never do anything like this again … because of the harm I caused other people,” Mohler said.
County Prosecutor Tony Kendell asked for prison time, saying the girl suffered severe psychological harm. He said the inappropriate behavior took place over a period of time and text messages from Mohler read like “textbook grooming” of a victim.
Gee told Mohler he knew his behavior “was inappropriate and where it was likely to go, and you continued to engage in it.” The initial charge would have involved sex offender registration. The amended charge Mohler was allowed to plead to does not.
Kendell said Mohler was allowed to plead to a lesser charge because the victim was “backing away” from the case. “I am not laying all the blame on her … It was my impression she was getting a lot of pressure from church members,” Kendell said.
“All I can say is that there was not any pressure I was aware of for her not to testify,” Pastor David Leckrone of the First United Methodist Church, said Monday.
During his five years of court supervision, Mohler will be prohibited from any unsupervised contact with minor children and to have no contact with the girl.
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