EDOUARDPATRICK

The Iowa Supreme Court overturned a decision by the Iowa Court of Appeals that would have allowed for a new trial for a former Pella pastor convicted of four counts of sexual exploitation. Patrick Edouard served as the pastor of the Covenant Reformed Church in Pella from 2003 to 2010. Edouard had sexual relations with four women in his congregation during that time, and in 2012 was convicted of four counts of sexual exploitation by a counselor or therapist and one count of a pattern or practice to engage in sexual exploitation by a counselor or therapist. The Iowa Court of Appeals had granted a new trail to Edouard in November of 2013 after it found that jury instructions were improper and the district court had abused its discretion in excluding expert testimony. This Iowa Supreme Court decision to overturn the Iowa Court of Appeals decision will affirm Edouard’s original convictions and sentence. In October 2012, he was sentenced to a maximum of 5 years in prison, and will have to register as a sex offender for 10 years following his release.