One-Time Sunday School Teacher Sentenced for Sexual Assault

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Posted: 7:23 PM Jan 5, 2009
Last Updated: 11:13 PM Jan 5, 2009
Reporter: Lauri Martin
Email Address: lmartin@kktv.com

24 comments

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He's guilty of sexually assaulting a teenage girl in the basement of a springs church, but the one-time Sunday school teacher is a free man Monday night. Jon Moore was sentenced Monday for sexually assaulting a church member over the course of three years.

Moore will now have to register as a sex offender. Church members say he served the church for years, but now he’s serving time, sentenced to 10 years to life on probation. The judge also sentenced him to 60 days in jail. He had already served 76 days while he was waiting for this sentencing, so he got credit for time served.

At Lighthouse Baptist Church, Jon Moore reportedly had several jobs, according to church's head pastor, James Carroll. "He worked on the web, helped with the audio and taught Sunday school."

“I want to go home and be with my family. I want to prove to my community that I’m not a monster and I'm not a threat," Moore said during his sentencing hearing. He apologized to the victim, to his church and to his wife of 28 years.

"I'm not asking for forgiveness because I can't forgive myself. I don't now if I'll ever be able to."

Moore's daughter also spoke on her father's behalf. "I believe in my heart that nothing like this will ever happen again."

A family friend of the victim says the girl hasn't been the same since. "She's afraid to go to school. She can't relate to men." Usually during a suspect's sentencing, the victim will speak, but her family moved out of state.

The head pastor of Lighthouse Baptist Church said Moore's real punishment starts now when he returns to the church and faces the congregation.

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Posted by: one time member Location: Iraq on Feb 26, 2009 at 06:11 AM
As I sit here and Listen to the gun fire from troops test firiring their weapons to go on patroll I can only think back at the LBH that exsisted on Biju street a close church family friendly people and good sound teaching. But when the church moved into the new building something changed suits where the unspoken rule for the men clicks where forming and people where shunned it was sad many times I went to services and said hi to some one and they turned there backs on me as if not to here a greeting of a day preached from the pulpit was in order to have friends you have to be friendly they talked the talk but would never bend to except people that had a past or did not fit thier group but Jon at the right hand of the Pastor having sex in this new church with child of a member of the church where were her parents where was the pastor who did what to who and when realy who cares point the fingers where ever you want but it was the attitude of the leadership that allowed this to happen

Posted by: member Location: cos on Jan 27, 2009 at 06:02 PM
Anon ~ I completely agree with you. Both were at fault and both parties KNEW what they were doing.

Posted by: Anonymous on Jan 21, 2009 at 09:03 PM
unless you were there and you saw the way people acted, keep your opinion to yourself. you have no place to talk trash about someone you don't know. and ESPECIALLY when you don't know anything about the girl who RIPPED THAT FAMILY APART. she KNEW what she was doing just as well as he did. BOTH PARTIES ARE AT FAULT.

Posted by: CJ Location: COS on Jan 16, 2009 at 09:49 AM
I am a current member............better?

Posted by: former Location: cs on Jan 14, 2009 at 06:08 PM
I was defending Chelsea and did not mean to begin anything with what I said. I know for a fact that former members are spoken of in a not so nice way from the pulpit, it happened while I was a member. I left because things were not being done in a Biblical manner. I was not asked to leave. You want us to leave our name, but yet you don't leave yours, now that is funny!

Posted by: To former member Location: cos on Jan 14, 2009 at 01:52 PM
Believe it or not, we CURRENT members have lives and better things to talk about and worry about then where you are currently. We are busy with our own families. Not everyone at our church is as bad as former members like to make us out to be. Here is what cracks me up, some of you former members come on here talking all your talk about our church, about members, about Jon, etc...BUT you won't put your names. WHY? Is it because you have done something wrong? Maybe you HAVE been asked to leave our church? Why did you stay at our church for so long?

Posted by: chels turner on Jan 12, 2009 at 05:06 PM
well if u dont mind me knowing who u r and talkin more my email is down there and so is my myspace u just look me up by my name or on facebook

Posted by: Former Member Location: CS on Jan 12, 2009 at 10:30 AM
No problem Chelsea. Just get on with your lives and ignore comments like that. Please understand that not all former members are as bad as we are talked about.

Posted by: chels turner Location: co on Jan 9, 2009 at 07:12 PM
hey doyle email me k its down there in one of my comments

Posted by: Doyle Location: Florida on Jan 9, 2009 at 12:30 PM
I don't know all of the answers, but I do know Jon Moore and I feel he meant what he said when he said he wanted to prove things to his community and his family. Chels, tell your Dad to call me. He has my number. I wish the best for both families! I do know this, God is still on the throne and He is still in control! I agree with "former member" that the judge did what he thought was right based on the testimonies heard and time already served. All of us are one decision away from "stupid". Thank God that He is the God of second chances. God has a plan for all of us or we wouldn't be here. Everyone needs to remember that Jon has a family too that is hurting and we need to remember that whatever we put in writng here hurts his family even more. They've been through enough. All I can say is "let the healing begin"!

Posted by: chels turner Location: co on Jan 8, 2009 at 05:54 PM
thank u who ever u r former member that means alot

Posted by: Former Member Location: CS on Jan 8, 2009 at 07:08 AM
It is sad how we condemn other human beings so fast! Jon was wrong, I agree, but the judge sentenced him to what he felt was the punishment needed. Some feel it was not long enough, so keep those views to yourself. All you are doing with your name calling is hurting another child, his daughter, even more than she was hurt when she found out about all of this. I am not defending what Jon did. I am defending his daughter. She will have to live with the finger pointing, etc, but should not have to see comments such as those written below. She and the rest of the family have suffered enough for what Jon did. Let them get on with their lives and keep your name calling comments to yourselves.

Posted by: chels turner Location: cs on Jan 7, 2009 at 10:05 AM
ok so you want to call my dad a Demon huh? well wow it is judging.and i was best friends with this girl and i know how she was and if you think it was rape you are crazy she was not at all the sweet little girl everyone seems to think she was.i just think it is funny how everyone thinks that.how are you all so blind to this?when i was 15 or 16 i knew what i was doing and when u go after a guy for so long and he is weak after saying no for so long and gives into her that makes him a demon?wow your funny.

Posted by: Scary Location: CS on Jan 7, 2009 at 09:40 AM
Any person that sexually abuses a minor needs to spend their time in prison where they can spread their love, daily. For those that say he will get better with the help of his friends and supporters, where were you when he was committing this evil act. You seem to think it was no big deal. Even scarier when you attempt to minimize his crime by blaming the victim. There is only one victim here and it isn't Jon Moore. How many of you that defend him would be doing so if he did not attend your congregation? This is not the first time this church has had a dark cloud hanging within it. Good men do not wear the title of "Registered Sex Offender". Read the statistics on sex offenders and the likelyhood of reoffending. Doyle, I feel for you. Good luck with the restoration. When the healing is complete and successful make sure you give your program to the El Paso county courts so they can implement it into all of the court appointed sex offender programs. Help is finally on the way!

Posted by: Not surprised Location: CS on Jan 7, 2009 at 08:05 AM
To those of you that defend a demon that rapes is sad. It is not judging to find fault with a so called man especially if he is passing himself off as a loyal abiding member of a church. If there was another demon in another church and the victim was your daughter would you be so quick to excuse this sick behavior.Probably not. To bad all sex offenders do not spend time in prison. If they did more of them might realize the extent of the damage they cause by their demented sick actions.

Posted by: Anonymous on Jan 6, 2009 at 05:49 PM
I agree with many of the posters on this board. I don't care how "agressive" the victim was. She was still a child and he was the adult. Many teens make misguided choices but an adult in this situation should have the moral compass to make the right decision. To carry this "affair" on for an extended period of time only shows that time and again he made the choice to assault a minor! How can anyone believe he would not make the same choice again. In saying that, now that he is ready to go home and prove to his community that he is not a monster, what about the neighbors in his community and all of the children that live so close. I am sure because of this there are some that would love to move. Though who would want to move so close to a registered sex offender! There are many more lives affected by this crime than so many realize!

Posted by: Doyle Location: Florida on Jan 6, 2009 at 05:07 PM
The Bible says "Wherefore let him that think he standeth, take heed lest he fall" Be careful how you pass judgement on this man. God is the only true judge. Yes, Jon was wrong, but so was the lady caught in the very act of adultery and with 5 different men and Jesus told her to "go and sin no more", your sins be forgiven you. I've known Jon for 33 years and here is a man that got caught up in sin and if the truth be known if we opened the windows of our hearts to the world we would be embarrassed. Jon doesn't need prison, he needs healing and so does the victim. He needs the love of his family and friends to restore him. That's what he needs. We are the only species on earth that kicks our wounded. God help us. Thank God HE is the God of second chances! He sure has shown it in my life and all of yours too!

Posted by: Ken Location: CO on Jan 6, 2009 at 10:03 AM
It is the laws of the land that should prevail, not the laws of the church!

Posted by: JJ Location: CSpgs on Jan 6, 2009 at 08:15 AM
I don't care how sexually aggressive a minor is (which I take with a grain of salt from previous poster), it is the ADULTS responsibility to make the correct (and legal) decision. Jon Moore is a sick man and needs help. That is help he should get in prison, not while on probation.

Posted by: Chels Turner Location: Colorado Springs on Jan 6, 2009 at 12:07 AM
I have reviewed the past comments left on previous reports done by KKTV & some of your views are greatly misguided. Yes, my father was wrong & at fault in this situation but the "victim" is not innocent. As the "victim's" former best friend I know the fact is she knew what she was doing. Just because she was 16 does make it ok she was sleeping with a married man? Im not going to deny my fathers fault in the situation but are you really that ignorant to believe that a 16 year old girl can not control herself? My father has paid his price in the eyes of man & will be judged by God & she will be judged by God aswell. It is not our place to pass judgement & those of you calling yourselfs "christians" please go reexamine your bible. Those who have not sinned may cast the first stone. If you dont believe a young woman of 16 years old is accountable for her actions then why are teenagers behind bars? If you would like to contact me & would like to hear facts look me up on myspace by my name.

Posted by: babygirl4182 Location: hotmail on Jan 5, 2009 at 11:45 PM
So i have read all of the past comments on all of the reports & yes the situation was brought to the pastor & several members of LBC & nothing was ever done about the situation. Yes my father is at fault. But the "victim" did in fact know what she was doing. Considering i was her best friend I know the details most wont even care to listen to. She was very much at fault. Im not going to deny that the situation should've never taken place & my father should've known better but the "victim" is not innocent. If you actually would like to know the truth of this situation then feel free to email me. For those of you that are casting judgement does it not say in the bible to not judge others for God is the only one who can judge? Those who have not sinned may cast the first stone. If you believe a 16 year old girl has no control over herself & her actions then those 16 year olds who commit murder should be set free should they not? Think before you choose to pass judgement.

Posted by: Reader Location: Colo Spgs on Jan 5, 2009 at 10:29 PM
Interesting wording at the end of the article: "The Pastor of Lighthouse Baptist Church also asked the judge to free Moore from jail saying Moore's worst punishment is waiting for him when he returns back to the church and faces the congregation." Hopefully that means Mr. Moore will feel bad within himself, not feel bad because of how's he will be looked upon.

Posted by: db Location: Colorado Springs on Jan 5, 2009 at 07:36 PM
10 years to life on PROBATION. What kind of sentence is that. This old married man had sex with high school aged teenager. This pervert should to serious time.

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