Justice finally caught up with Russell J. Lesser of Bryson City, N.C. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison for sexually assaulting a female child in the mid 1970s.
During his sentencing Thursday, Lesser asked for the court’s mercy and apologized to victim Laurie Asplund.
“I’d like to take that one year out of my life,” Lesser said.
“I’m so deeply sorry for it.”
The former pastor began his advances during a trust game, Asplund said, but then sexually assaulted her more than 40 times from summer 1974 to spring 1976. She was 14 to 16 years old.
Wisconsin kept the case open because Lesser moved out of state. Otherwise, he would have never been convicted. As it stands, he went on to work in other states. I am sure there are some uncomfortable questions being asked. I’m sure he had access to others as he was a Youth for Christ Campus Life minister.
