Published: June 28, 2009 11:36 pm      

Sentencingfor former pstor today in federal porn case

GREENVILLE — A former Royse City pastor is scheduled to be sentenced today to federal charges he possessed and trafficked in child pornography on his church’s computers.

Steve Richardson pleaded guilty March 19 to two federal counts; one alleging transporting and shipping child pornography and one alleging the possession of child pornography before Magistrate Judge Irma C Ramirez. Richardson is facing a maximum sentence on the first count of between five and 20 years in prison; a fine of up to $250,000; a possible term of supervised release of from five years to life following any term of imprisonment and restitution. For the second charge, Richardson is facing a maximum of up to 10 years in prison, a fine, supervised release and restitution.

Richardson, 36, the former pastor of First United Methodist Church, was arrested Sept. 24, 2008 by agents with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Under the plea agreement, Richardson has agreed to relinquish his rights to computers which were seized from the church.

Richardson has told prosecutors other church officials were unaware of his use of the computers to commit the offenses to which he pleaded.