WISCONSIN RAPIDS − A former Wisconsin Rapids youth minister was sentenced June 3 to 10 years in prison for assaulting a youth group member.
James R. Lane, 53, of Centennial, Colorado, pleaded guilty April 8 to repeated sexual assault of the same child. Wood County Circuit Judge Gregory Jerabeck revoked Lane’s bond during the plea hearing, and Lane has been in jail since that time.
According to court documents, in the spring of 2024, Lane had sexual contact with a 15-year-old girl who was a member of his youth group and who babysat his children. One incident occurred in his car when he was giving her a ride home from babysitting and multiple incidents occurred at the church, according to the complaint.
Prior to Lane’s June 3 sentencing, Jerabeck received 34 letters supporting Lane. The letters told Jerabeck about Lane’s good character, how he regretted the choice he made with the youth group member and how much he had done for the communities he lived in. The letters also expressed concern for Lane’s wife and one of four of his children who still lives at home. The letters said Lane’s wife would have a difficult time paying rent and supporting herself and her child.
The letters also talked about how much Lane suffered from the knowledge of what he had done to the teenage girl. They said not a day went by when he didn’t think about it.
During the sentencing Lane said he didn’t have the words to describe the shame and disgust he feels about what he did to the teenage girl.
“I betrayed her trust,” Lane said.
Lane said he also betrayed the trust of the community, the church and his family.
“I failed them all completely,” he said.
During the past 20 years, Lane said he thought of the girl when he saw his own daughters having joyful moments. He said he knew the girl couldn’t graduate high school or do any of the joyful things a child does without having that joy diminished by the memories of what he did.
Wood County District Attorney Jonathan Barnett said Lane continued to contact the girl’s mother for years after the assault. The contact made the girl feel like she couldn’t talk to her mother about what happened.
Lane said he was sorry for the damage he had done to the girl’s relationship with her mother. He said he was sorry he took away the girl’s innocence, her trust and her sense of safety.
Barnett said Lane’s position with the church added to the severity of the crime. The position of trust he had with the youth at the church and their parents added to the crime.
When officers approached Barnett after the victim reported the crime in March 2024, Lane didn’t deny having the sexual contact with her, Barnett said. But, Lane didn’t come forward and report what he did himself, Barnett said.
Lane has worked in the ministry all over the country, including Colorado, Arizona, New York and Chicago, Barnett said. There is no way to know how many other victims might be out there, he said.
Lane’s attorney, Michael Covey, said while there wasn’t much news about the case reported in the regular media, it was widely reported in church media. Most church groups around the country knew about the charges against Lane, but no one else came forward with accusations, Covey said.
Jerabek said he could not sentence Lane based on the possibility of other victims. He sentenced Lane as if the 2004 assault happened recently, he said.
The public doesn’t need to be protected from Lane, Covey said. Lane thought he had fallen in love with the 15-year-old girl. He wasn’t some predator hiding in the basement or reaching out to children on the internet, Covey said.
The girl was too young to consent to sexual contact and Lane knows that, Covey said. He’s worked to deal with the issues that lead to the incident and undergo appropriate counseling so it won’t happen again.
Lane could continue getting the help he needs on probation, Covey said. He could do work release and support his family while serving his time.
Jerabek said there are many defendants who you know are going to reoffend the moment they get released. Lane isn’t one of them, Jerabek said. The 34 letters all attest to his character and the tests the state gave him to prepare the presentence investigation and a doctor gave him to prepare and submit a psychological analysis all indicate Lane is unlikely to reoffend, Jerabek said.
Jerabek said if he were to stay a prison sentence and put Lane on probation he’d be sending the wrong message to other ministers, coaches and people in similar positions. The message would be hope the victim doesn’t come forward for 20 years, then you can get a light punishment by showing what a good person you’ve become.
One of the letters supporting Lane talked about what happened when he decided to leave Wisconsin Rapids, Jerabek said. The writer said Lane told him he had made a big mistake and leaving the area was the best thing he could do for his family. Lane could have stepped up and reported what he did then, Jerabek said.
About 10 to 12 people were in the courtroom showing their support for Lane during the sentencing. Covey said some of them had flown in from all parts of the country to be in the courtroom. When Jerabek gave the 10-year prison sentence, crying could be heard from several of the people there and Lane dropped his head forward to his chest.
Jerabek ordered Lane to serve five years on extended supervision following his prison sentence. As part of the extended supervision, Jerabek ordered Lane to have no contact with anyone under the age of 18, except immediate family. He ordered Lane to undergo any counseling deemed necessary. Jerabek gave Lane credit for 75 days already served.
Contact Karen Madden at kmadden@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @KMadden715, Instagram @kmadden715 or Facebook at www.facebook.com/karen.madden.33.
This article originally appeared on Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune: Former Wisconsin Rapids youth minister gets 10 years for assaulting youth group member
Reporting by Karen Madden, Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune / Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune
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