The Black Collar Crime Series relies on public news stories and publicly available information for its content. If any incorrect information is found, please contact Bruce Gerencser. Nothing in this post should be construed as an accusation of guilt. Those accused of crimes are innocent until proven guilty.
Ferrell Kissiar, an assistant pastor at the United Pentecostal Church in Patoka, Illinois, pleaded guilty to child pornography charges and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Kissiar was also a teacher’s aide at Cornerstone Academy in Nokomis, Illinois.
Ferrell Kissiar, a former assistant pastor at the Pentecostal Church in Patoka was sentenced to a total of 30 years in prison after various consecutive sentences were handed down in the plea agreement. He was given credit for 871 days served in the Fayette County Jail, will have to register for life as a sexual predator and was ordered to have no contact with the victims.
The Attorney General’s Office charged Kissiar with 3 counts of Disseminating Child Pornography, 2 counts of Possessing Child Pornography, 1 count of Reproducing Child Pornography, 1 count of Indecent Solicitation of an Adult and 1 count of Conspiracy to commit Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse.
He was arrested in 2021 along with a Vandalia husband and wife, Amber and Andrew Wehrle in connection with the pornography ring and abuse charges. Amber Wehrle was sentenced earlier this year to 13 years in prison after she pleaded guilty to charges in her case, while her husband was sentenced to 26 years in prison for his guilty plea.
The three cases were initially joined together and were slated to be tried together by a Fayette County jury in June. However, the Wehrles pleaded guilty and Kissiar pushed forward toward a jury trial.
Then earlier this month he agreed to the terms of a negotiated plea and waived his right to a jury trial.
Bruce Gerencser, 66, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 45 years. He and his wife have six grown children and thirteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.
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