US Pastor Sentenced To Life Imprisonment For Child Abuse, Wife Convicted

A 35-year-old American pastor, Benjamin Garlick, has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole following his conviction for the sexual assault of a five-year-old girl in Rutherford County, Tennessee.

A local court found Garlick guilty of seven counts of aggravated rape of a child, six counts of aggravated sexual battery, and solicitation of sexual exploitation of a minor following a two-week trial.

Presiding Judge Barry Tidwell handed down the life sentence for the aggravated rape charges, with sentencing on the remaining convictions scheduled for November 10, 2026.

His 32-year-old wife, Shaantal Garlick, was also convicted on two counts of facilitating the aggravated rape of a child and two counts of aggravated child neglect. Her sentencing has also been set for November 10.

Police investigations began in August 2023 following reports of child abuse. Detectives subsequently identified two additional victims and established that Shaantal knowingly aided the abuse and neglected the child.

Before his arrest in September 2023, Garlick served as an itinerant minister working primarily with Spanish-speaking communities across the United States.

Following the verdict, law enforcement authorities urged additional victims or witnesses in the community to report related incidents to the police.