By Jeff Lehr

jlehr@joplinglobe.com

A former pastor of a Webb City church was sentenced to eight years in prison Friday for sexually molesting a girl for more than two years when she was between the ages of 9 and 11.

Circuit Judge David Mouton assessed Roy Curtis Huling, 60, the prison term despite testimony from family members, fellow pastors and his counselor that Huling was truly repentant for what he had done, had undergone extensive counseling and is currently considered a low risk to re-offend.

Assistant Prosecutor John Nicholas read statements that the girl and her mother wrote, recounting the pain and suffering the former pastor of First United Pentecostal Church caused their family and his church, and expressing opposition to Huling receiving anything less than a prison term and the requirement that he be registered as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.

The girl’s statement concluded with one overriding sentiment she wished to make clear to the defendant.

“I do not love you,” she wrote.

Huling, of Duquesne, pleaded guilty in June to first-degree child molestation in a plea agreement with the Jasper County prosecutor’s office that limited the prison time he might be required to serve to eight years. The conviction could have carried up to 15 years under state law.

A probable-cause affidavit filed in the case states that the sexual abuse took place between August 2003 and February 2006.

The affidavit states that Huling confessed to Duquesne police in an interview at the Webb City Police Department.

Huling’s wife told the court at the sentencing hearing that her husband is a “broken” and “truly sorry” man. He lost his position as pastor of the Webb City church when the charge was filed two years ago and has been holding down a maintenance job since that time to support his family, she said.

“He has told me that he abhors what he has done,” she said.

Testimony showed that the Hulings have been attending a different church for the past year and a half, and that the pastor of the church is aware of the charge against Huling.

Terry Wolf, a licensed professional counselor, testified that the defendant also has been undergoing treatment for pedophilia for two hours a week since April 2008. The counselor said he believes Huling has made significant progress in realizing the harm he caused others and in taking responsibility for it. He said Huling initially tested as a moderate risk to re-offend but more recently tested as a low risk who no longer shows a sexual interest in grade-school-age children.

But the judge indicated that he had the impact on the victim and her family to consider as well as the wishes of the defendant’s family. He refused defense attorney Ross Rhoades’ request that if probation was to be denied, that the sentencing be delayed and his client sent to the sex offender assessment unit of the Department of Corrections for a 120-day evaluation.