Former pastor sentenced for molesting teenage girl at Scranton home
Jul. 20—A former church pastor who molested a teenage girl who passed out after he gave her alcohol was sentenced Tuesday in Lackawanna County Court to 18 to 48 months in state prison.
Gary Joe Eaches, 42, of Scranton, pleaded guilty in February to indecent assault and unlawful contact with a minor for sexually assaulting the 16-year-old girl at a Scranton home on April 11, 2020.
The Times-Tribune does not identify victims of sexual assault.
According to an arrest affidavit, the girl went to a home with Eaches's son. Eaches showed up and provided her alcohol, which caused her to pass out on a couch. She awoke to find Eaches molesting her. Eaches, who was a pastor at United Baptist Church in West Scranton, later sent her text messages apologizing for what he did.
At the sentencing hearing held via Zoom before Judge Michael Barrasse, Eaches's attorney, Patrick Rogan, said Eaches was employed as a pastor for 10 years before the assault. Rogan sought leniency, noting Eaches suffers from physical and mental health issues and was hospitalized while the case was pending.
Eaches apologized to the victim, who did not testify at the hearing.
"I realize what I did was wrong," he said. "I'm asking for the grace and mercy of the court. ... If I had a chance to change things in the past, I would."
Barrasse also ordered Eaches to serve six years probation upon his release. Eaches also must register as a sex offender for life.
Rogan questioned the lifetime registration requirement, saying he believed the conduct mandated a 25-year registration. Barrasse said he would reconsider the registration mandate if Rogan is correct.
Contact the writer: tbesecker@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9137; @tmbeseckerTT on Twitter.
