Youth pastor Shaun Michael Ross pleads guilty

Youth pastor Shaun Michael Ross of Calvary Assembly Church in Walkersville pleaded guilty to having sex with a minor. Ross was sentenced to 25 years with all but 18 months suspended and five years of probation. His total sentence is 18 months. He will also have to register as a sex offender.

"It was a sentence that was quite difficult to come to," says State's Attorney Charlie Smith. "These are difficult cases where you balance the interests of the community with the interests of the victim. But after a lot of conversation with the family, it was decided that he would do an 18-month sentence."

This story has some additional legs. Shaun Ross was the son of pastor Terry Ross at Victory Christian Church in New York. He and his wife were placed in charge of the children's ministry despite Shaun being under investigation sexual misconduct.

Dan Ussery, who oversees the Foursquare churches in the Northeast, said the Rev. Terry Ross and Shaun Ross told the church about the charges. 

"Pastor Terry Ross and son Shaun disclosed that Shaun had been accused of sexual misconduct while serving on the staff of a church in the Baltimore, Maryland, area and that charges are pending," Ussery wrote in a statement. 

Source: Former youth pastor facing charges allowed to volunteer at North Syracuse church

As far as I can tell, there were no serious repercussions for pastor Terry Ross.

The church where the original abuse took place responded to the sentencing.