Virginia Pastor Receives Four Life Sentences Plus 240 Years For Sex Crimes Against Children In His Ministry For 26 Years

For committing sex crimes against children, a former pastor from Virginia was given four life sentences + 240 years in jail.

Terry Compton, of Glade Spring, previously pleaded guilty to the following charges:

• Sodomy of a helpless victim (one count)
• Sodomy of a child less than 13-years-old (one count)
• Object sexual penetration of a child less than 13-years-old (two counts)
• Aggravated sexual battery of a child less than 13-years-old (12 counts)

No plea agreement was offered.

According to police, Compton is originally from Maryland and was the pastor of Faith Independent Missionary Baptist Church in Damascus at the time of his arrest. Investigators say the abuse began in 1995 and continued for 26 years.

Lead investigator said:

“The Washington County Sheriff’s Office has a designated investigator that handles child victim cases. My office has a designated prosecutor that handles child victim cases,” he said. “So, working together, they really built a case.”

Cumbow said a great deal of time has been spent speaking with the alleged victims.

“Getting corroboration – slight corroboration, to bolster their story to the point where you feel like you have enough probable cause for the detective to take out warrants – and that’s what’s happened here,” he said.

The charges facing Compton are currently based on three alleged victims that have come forward, but Cumbow knows that number could increase.

“That’s always a possibility and that’s one of the reasons the sheriff’s office chose to issue a press release was to potentially see if there are more victims. I hope there’s not more victims,” he said.

Kyelee Moffett is the CEO of Partners for Stronger Communities, a Bristol-area advocacy center, who also knows more alleged victims are possible in a case like this.