Louisiana Pastor Receives Maximum Prison Sentence for Molesting Teenage Girl
Milton Otto Martin III, the former head of the First Pentecostal church in Chalmette, Louisiana, has been sentenced to seven years in prison for molesting a teenage girl approximately 15 years ago. The sentence represents the maximum penalty for indecent behavior with a juvenile under Louisiana law.
Survivor's Powerful Court Statement Details Lasting Trauma
During Wednesday's sentencing hearing in a suburban New Orleans courtroom, the now 30-year-old survivor delivered a powerful statement describing how Martin's abuse continues to affect her life. "What he did to me was selfish, despicable and egregious – utterly evil," she told the court. "I struggle … with things that I should not have to deal with because they are not the consequences of my actions."
The survivor detailed how Martin, who was convicted in December, would blame her for his crimes, claiming he couldn't resist the temptation she presented. She also revealed that months after her wedding, Martin approached her to apologize – a gesture she interpreted as disingenuous and an attempt to ensure her silence about the abuse.
Split Verdict and Maximum Sentence
Jurors rendered a split verdict against Martin, acquitting him of felony carnal knowledge – Louisiana's formal term for statutory rape – which could have carried up to 10 years in prison. However, they convicted him of indecent behavior, defined as any "lewd or lascivious act" on a minor.
State court judge Darren Roy acknowledged receiving more than 100 letters of support for Martin but nevertheless imposed the maximum sentence. Roy described Martin's crimes as recurrent and "exceptionally severe, with permanent injury to the victim."
The survivor's attorney, John Denenea, expressed hope that the maximum sentence would send a message that "pedophiles and their enablers will not escape the justice system" any longer.
Broader Context of Clergy Abuse in New Orleans Area
Martin's prosecution represents another high-profile instance of sexual abuse by religious authorities in the New Orleans region. While separate from the decades-old Catholic clergy molestation scandal that drove the Roman Catholic archdiocese of New Orleans into federal bankruptcy court in 2020, the cases share multiple connections.
Louisiana state police detective Scott Rodrigue investigated Martin after also building a case against retired New Orleans Catholic priest Lawrence Hecker, a serial child molester whose church superiors provided him safe harbor from law enforcement for decades. Rodrigue's investigation led to Hecker's arrest, conviction, and life imprisonment sentence for child rape shortly before his death in custody at age 93 in December 2024.
That investigation spurred a wider inquiry into whether the archdiocese operated a child sex-trafficking ring responsible for "widespread … abuse of minors dating back decades" that was systematically concealed from law enforcement, according to sworn police statements filed in New Orleans' criminal courthouse.
Lasting Impact on Survivor's Life
The survivor's statement detailed how Martin's abuse has affected countless aspects of her existence, from her parenting approach to her understanding of trust and faith. Despite these challenges, she expressed determination not to let the abuse define her.
"I am hopeful that this … will carry out justice not just for me – but for all those who have been [affected] by the defendant's betrayal of the position of authority and trust he held," her statement concluded.
Martin did not speak during Wednesday's sentencing hearing and must register as a sex offender. Authorities who previously investigated the pastor interviewed several additional alleged molestation victims, though the jury heard from only two, and the charges pertained to just one survivor.
