Former Louisiana pastor sentenced to 60 years after ICE HSI investigation

NEW ORLEANS – A former Louisiana pastor was recently sentenced to 60 years in prison for two counts of child pornography production following a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Lake Charles investigation.

In coordination with the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office Sex Crimes Unit, HSI Lake Charles special agents determined John Michael Ward, 45, of Westlake, abused a juvenile victim over a two year period and, on two occasions, coerced the minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of capturing sexually explicit videos of the minor. Ward was serving as a pastor of Bellview Baptist Church in Westlake, LA, at the time of his arrest.

U.S. District Judge James D. Cain Jr. sentenced Ward Feb. 19, 2020, to 30 years for each count, to run consecutively, and a lifetime term of court supervision. In addition to the 720 month prison sentence, Ward was ordered to make restitution to the victim, register as a sex offender upon his release, and undergo a sex-offender treatment program that will include drug testing and lie-detector tests. He also cannot be around children without their parents present.

Fuente: ice.gov