Former pastor convicted of child rape, sexual battery
RIPLEY, Tenn. (AP) – A former West Tennessee pastor has been found guilty of rape and sexual battery involving three children.
WMC-TV in Memphis (http://bit.ly/1yOJIMM ) reports 35-year-old Larry Michael Berkley was convicted Tuesday by a Lauderdale County jury. He was found guilty as charged in the 14-count indictment, which included two counts of rape, four counts of statutory rape by an authority figure, four counts of sexual battery by an authority figure and four counts of aggravated statutory rape.
The station said Berkley was formerly pastor at Victory Baptist Church in Henning and was officiating at a graveside service in Covington, Tennessee, when he was arrested.
He faces sexual assault charges in Arkansas, where he has pleaded not guilty. He is also former pastor at Shiloh Baptist Church in Harrison, Arkansas.
