It was the end of a long road for Ronnie Gorton. Dressed in a red jumpsuit, his hands together below his waist with his fingers intertwined, he repeated the same word 61 times. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. On Friday afternoon the man some call the Pedophile Preacher pleaded guilty to more than five dozen charges including rape, sexual battery by an authority figure, statutory … [Read more...] about Ronnie Gorton pleads guilty to 61 more charges
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A look back: Tipton County’s most shocking crimes of the 2010s
As we begin a new decade we wanted to have a look back at the things that made news – good, bad and inspiring – from 2010-19. It was a decade with unspeakable tragedy, politicians behaving badly, extreme weather and small towns rallying around their own in a way others cannot. This is part one of our series and it covers Tipton County's most shocking crimes. The other parts in … [Read more...] about A look back: Tipton County’s most shocking crimes of the 2010s
Former pastor Ronnie Gorton sentenced to 38 years in prison
Ronnie Gorton will be 58 years old the first time he's eligible for release from prison. He sat, still emotionless, as the Judge Joe Walker handed down an effective 38-year sentence Friday morning. "The defendant was the lead pastor in a church and used his position of authority to commit these offenses, he groomed minors for his sexual perversion," Walker said. The first … [Read more...] about Former pastor Ronnie Gorton sentenced to 38 years in prison
‘This went on for awhile’: Two new victims speak in Ronnie Gorton sentencing hearing
Ronnie Gorton has lost his youth pastor look but he hasn't lost his emotionless stare. Sporting a goatee and dressed in a red jumpsuit, which signifies he's segregated from the rest of the jail population, he sat unexpressive from behind the counsel table during the first part of his sentencing hearing Friday. The second part – the actual sentencing – will come next month … [Read more...] about ‘This went on for awhile’: Two new victims speak in Ronnie Gorton sentencing hearing
‘He preyed on the flock’: Gorton found guilty on all counts
[metaslider id=2771] Former Atoka pastor Ronnie Gorton and his father, Bob, embraced in the hallway before walking in to listen to the verdict. As each guilty verdict was read – two counts of exploitation of a minor, two counts of contributing to a minor, two counts of furnishing alcohol to minors, seven counts of sexual battery by an authority figure, 10 counts of statutory … [Read more...] about ‘He preyed on the flock’: Gorton found guilty on all counts
‘It just never stopped’: Ronnie Gorton victim testifies he underwent daily abuse
Every single night. That’s how often the victim in the first of Ronnie Gorton’s three cases said he endured being sexually abused. “It just never stopped,” he said. The abuse began the day he moved into Gorton's Drummonds home and, said the teenager, intensified over the next year and a half. He testified Gorton, who was then the pastor of The Awakening Church in Atoka, used … [Read more...] about ‘It just never stopped’: Ronnie Gorton victim testifies he underwent daily abuse
Ronnie Gorton’s former best friend testified he confessed to molestation
Ronnie Gorton sat emotionless behind the counsel table Monday – in a suit and tie this time, instead of jeans and a t-shirt – while witnesses each took a turn on the stand. One-by-one the state's witnesses shared pieces of the story which led to Gorton's indictment for sexually assaulting teenagers. The victim's great aunt said there were red flags and she asked the victim to … [Read more...] about Ronnie Gorton’s former best friend testified he confessed to molestation
No plea deal for former Munford pastor Ronnie Gorton
The day before he was set to stand trial, the former Munford pastor accused of sexually assaulting teenagers was expected to make a plea deal. However, no deal with the state was reached Monday. Ronnie Gorton, who was the pastor at the now-shuttered Awakening Church, was indicted in both March 2018 and July 2018 after three teenaged boys accused him of sexually assaulting and … [Read more...] about No plea deal for former Munford pastor Ronnie Gorton
