FULL STORY:

Acton Bowen, the evangelist who served as a youth minister for teenage boys and became a best-selling author was given the maximum sentence for all 28 charges related to [/b]sexually abusing six teenagers[b] in Etowah County on Friday. The sentences are to be served consecutively which means Bowen would serve roughly 1,008 years before being released.
Bowen plead guilty earlier in the month as jury selection for his trial was set to begin. Many of the victims, some of whom are now adults, were in the courtroom when the sentence was announced.

The victims claimed the now 38-year-old evangelist sexually abused them for months or in some cases, years from 2006 to as recently as April 2018.

"I saw myself as damaged goods without realizing I'd been manipulated by a true professional," said one of the victims in a statement submitted during the hearing. The statements also described how Bowen used lavish trips, clothing and money to lure the young men into spending time alone with him.

Bowen spoke publicly for the first time on Friday since his arrest. He apologized to the victims and his family before the sentence was announced. [/b]The former youth minister also admitted to suffering with alcohol, drug abuse and addiction to pornography.[b]

"My heart has never wanted to hurt anyone but my mind is not well," said Bowen during his tear-filled apology.

His attorney's argued the pastor suffered from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of sexual abuse he suffered as a teenager. Defense witnesses say Bowen revealed the sexual abuse to psychologists while awaiting trial. They noted he suffered some of the same damaging effects of abuse as his victims. They argued this should be a mitigating factor in his sentencing. It was not. Calhoun County Judge Debra Jones handed down the maximum sentence for all 28 charges.


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