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Black Collar Crime: Evangelical Pastor Walter Williams Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Sexual Assault

walter williams

Walter Williams, pastor of Walk of Faith Church of Christ in New Haven, Connecticut, was sentence today to three years in prison for “second-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor.”

The New Haven Register reports:

A New Haven pastor has been sentenced to serve three years in prison for second-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor.

Walter Williams, who was 59 at the time of his arrest last July, lives in Northford section of North Branford. He is senior pastor at the Walk of Faith Church of Christ in New Haven, according to the church’s website.

Police said he was accused of having as many as six sexual encounters with a minor who was a member of the church. According to police, the incidents occurred between July 2015 and April 2016.

The victim’s mother contacted police after she discovered text messages between her daughter and Williams on her daughter’s phone, police said. The mother told police she also saw a graphically disturbing Facebook message from Williams to her daughter.

The encounters happened at Williams’ home and at the church, police said.

….

When he was arrested, Williams was charged with five counts of second-degree sexual assault, fourth-degree sexual assault, risk of injury to a minor and two counts of illegal sexual contact.

Under the plea arrangement he made with the state, Williams pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor. Both are felonies.

The agreement specified Williams was to receive a sentence ranging from nine months to five years in prison. His attorney was given the right to argue for a lenient sentence.

After hearing the arguments from Paz and Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Mary SanAngelo, Superior Court Judge Philip Scarpellino imposed a total sentence of 12 years, to be suspended after three years served, with 10 years of probation.

….

Williams’ bio on Walk of Faith’s website states:

Pastor Walter Williams III is the senior pastor of Walk of Faith Church of Christ, Disciples of Christ in New Haven, Connecticut. He is a native of Newburgh, New York and the fifth child of seven children. Pastor Williams attributes his teaching in ethics, morality, hard work, character and integrity to his parents, William and Sadie Tallie.

Pastor Williams’ spiritual foundation was developed at Mt. Carmel Church of Christ, Disciples of Christ, under the leadership of Bishop George W. Johnson, where he was an active member of the choir and the youth group. While in the United States Air Force and stationed in Las Vegas, pastor prayed for God to help him with his gambling challenge. With a heart to live a committed life to God, shortly after his prayer, Pastor Williams recommitted his life to the Lord and he answered God’s call to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

At the age of 24, Pastor Williams served as the senior pastor of a 34 year old congregation in New Haven, Connecticut. After four years of intense pastoral on-the-job training, the visionary within Pastor Williams founded the Walk of Faith Church of Christ, Disciples of Christ in 1986.  As a man of vision, Pastor Williams is committed to: serving God with the spirit of excellence, community activism, equipping saints for ministry and creating an atmosphere where the power of God and deliverance will have full reign in the lives of believers as they fulfill their ordained kingdom purposes of God.

Pastor Williams is married to Dorothy Fay (Lady Fay) and they are the proud parents of six children and four grandchildren.

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