July 06, 2009
United Methodist Pastor Sentenced to 17 Years In Prison On Child Pornography Convictions
Immigration and Customs EnforcementDALLAS -- The former Pastor of the First United Methodist Church in Royse City, Texas, was sentenced Monday to 17 years in federal prison, following his guilty plea in March to two child pornography offenses. The sentence was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks, Northern District of Texas; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ) conducted the investigation. Steve Richardson, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sam A. Lindsay, who also ordered a lifetime of supervised release and required Richardson to register as a sex offender. Richardson has been in federal custody since he was arrested on Sept. 24, 2008, by ICE agents on related charges in a federal criminal complaint. Richardson pleaded guilty to one count of transporting and shipping child pornography, and one count of possessing child pornography.
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