A former Arkansas pastor has been sentenced to 50 years in prison after pleading guilty to raping three of his own children. James Cowan, 46, pleaded guilty as part of a negotiated sentencing agreement.
Editor’s note: This article refers to reports of child sex abuse that some readers might find triggering and/or disturbing.
Cowan was formerly pastor of Little River Community Church in Winthrop, Arkansas, according to Deltaplex News.
According to court records obtained by The Arkansas Justice Project, Cowan was originally charged with 28 counts of rape.
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In a statement released on Nov. 13, the office of prosecuting attorney Jana Bradford said that Cowan has been sentenced to a 50-year prison term followed by a 30-year suspended sentence.
Per state law, Cowan is required to serve at least 70% of his initial sentence before becoming eligible for parole, which means he will remain behind bars for at least 35 years.
“By that time, Cowan will be roughly 81 years old,” the prosecutors’ statement said, “effectively making this sentence a life term.”
According to prosecutors, the plea agreement is aligned with the wishes of the victims, who wanted to avoid being further traumatized by having to testify in court.
“The safety and well-being of children is always a top priority for our office, and the resolution of this case reflects that commitment,” Bradford said. “While no sentence can undo the harm done to these young victims, we hope this will provide a measure of justice and allow them to begin the long process of healing.”
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When and if Cowan is released from prison, he will be required to register as a sex offender.
