Former Lexington, Kentucky pastor is pleading guilty to raping a teen girl who attended his church
A former Lexington pastor is pleading guilty to raping a teen girl who attended his church.
Zachary King was arrested in 2024. Police say he admitted it happened over the course of a year and a half, starting when she was 15 years old.
On Monday, King pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including rape and sexual abuse.
More details on his charges and his sentence are in the story below.
According to state Attorney General Russell Coleman, the victim attended King’s church and was a minor at the time the abuse occurred.
Court documents said King raped the girl multiple times, and in one incident, restrained her before abusing her.
Coleman said as part of the plea deal, King received a recommended 13-year prison sentence and must register as a lifetime sex offender.
He has also been ordered to have no contact with the victim for the next 10 years and agreed not to object to a renewal of that no contact order.
“This so-called pastor’s abuse of his position of spiritual trust to prey on a young victim was heartbreaking,” Coleman said in a statement. “We are sending this predator to prison to protect more Kentuckians from horrific abuse.”
