The Henrietta Town Court has sentenced former Pastor Paul Burress to a yearlong probation after he pled guilty to sexual abuse. The decision for the star of the 2014 "Fight Church" documentary was made as part of his plea bargain.
Officials at the District Attorney's Office in Monroe County in New York confirmed the Burress case verdict to the press Wednesday. The women who filed the cases against the pastor were also given orders of protection.
Burress, a former Victory Church pastor, was brought to court last fall when three women came forward and complained that he groped and touched them while they were guests at his home. Charges of misdemeanor were filed against Burress, who initially denied he harassed his female guests.
In their statements, the victims said that they go to the same church where Burress served, and lived in his house for a few months on separate occasions. From July 2016 to March 2017, however, the women each had an uncomfortable experience with Burress, as they claimed that he forcibly touched them. None of the women, however, reported the incident to the police out of fear and shame.
"Paul knew a lot about my personal life and that many of his friends were police officers," one of the victims said.
For years, reports revealed that Burress was the subject of online speculations that he's a sexual abuser. Learning that there could be some women who experienced the same treatment from Burress, the others became confident to come forward and agreed to file the lawsuits. The courts then ordered the arrest of the pastor in September 2017 after gathering enough evidence.
Following his arrest, Burress' name was taken down on the Victory Church official site. The church also issued a statement to confirm his arrest.
However, the church might have already known about the speculations on Burress' behavior a long time ago. Apparently, in 2013, Victory Church received a letter that detailed how Burress forced a complainant to massage his wife, Jill. The letter also alleged that the pastor showed the complainant private videos of him and his wife having sex.
Burress shot to fame because of the "Fight Church" documentary, which featured Christian Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighters. Some churches promote the sport as a means for fund-raising, and Burress was featured as one of the trainers.
