United Group Insurance

Ex-youth pastor gets probation in sex case

News

March 7th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A former Council Bluffs youth pastor who plead guilty to sexually abusing a teenager has been put on probation and ordered to get sex offender treatment. Brent Girouex was sentenced on Wednesday in Pottawattamie County District Court. He pleaded guilty in November to one count of third-degree sexual abuse. He entered an Alford plea to two counts of sexual exploitation by a counselor or therapist. Under an Alford plea, Girouex didn’t admit guilt but agreed that evidence likely existed for a conviction. Girouex, a former youth pastor at Victory Fellowship Church, told investigators he had sexual contact with one teen over a four-year period. Several other young men stepped forward after his arrest. Girouex had faced 89 charges. Prosecutors consolidated the charges.