Former Clinton County pastor sentenced to 15 years in prison
A former Clinton County pastor was sentenced to 15 years in prison Monday after pleading guilty to unlawful sexual conduct with a minor.
As previously reported by the Wilmington Police Department, Silas H. Shelton, 49, of Morrow was arrested Oct. 15 in Blanchester in connection with an ongoing sex offenses investigation. At the time of his arrest, he had been serving as a pastor at a Clinton County church.
On Oct. 23, a Clinton County grand jury returned a 12-count indictment charging Shelton with two counts of rape, a felony of the first degree; one count of aggravated arson, a felony of the second degree; three counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, a felony of the third degree; two counts of gross sexual imposition, a felony of the fourth degree; one count of sexual battery, a felony of the fourth degree; one count of menacing by stalking, a felony of the fourth degree; one count of arson, a felony of the fourth degree; and one count of telecommunications harassment, a misdemeanor of the first degree.
According to court records, Shelton pleaded guilty April 20 to all three counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, along with an amended count of menacing by stalking, a first-degree misdemeanor. The remaining eight charges were dismissed.
For two of those counts, it is alleged that during two months in 2019, Shelton “did engage in sexual conduct” with a victim between the ages of 13 and 16. The other count alleged that on another approximate date in 2019, Shelton “did engage in sexual conduct” with a victim between the ages of 13 and 16 at a hotel.
Shelton was further accused of watching and calling a victim against their wishes during a different time frame, according to a bill of particulars.
In his sentencing entry, Clinton County Common Pleas Court Judge Andrew McCoy said that Shelton “repeatedly sexually abused the victim.
“The Defendant’s actions were calculated and premeditated,” McCoy wrote. “When the victim attempted to escape the abuse, [Shelton] began a campaign of intimidation and terror to attempt to regain control of the victim.”
McCoy added that although Shelton pleaded guilty to several charges, “it appears he did so in light of overwhelming evidence of guilt.
“Striking is Defendant’s statement in his presentence investigation where he takes absolutely no accountability for his actions and demonstrates no remorse, choosing rather to blame the victim and claim that he was the victim of abuse at the hands of a … child,” McCoy wrote. “Not once, in either his presentence statement or during his allocution did Defendant offer an apology. His statements were all self-serving and demonstrated no awareness that his crimes caused injury to another.”
McCoy sentenced Shelton to five years on each third-degree felony count, to be served consecutively, for a total of 15 years in prison. Shelton was additionally sentenced to six months in jail for the menacing charge, which will be served concurrently with the prison term. He had 20 days of jail time credit.
Shelton was also “ordered to have no contact with any victim in this case,” the sentencing entry says.
Publisher's note: A free press is critical to having well-informed voters and citizens. While some news organizations opt for paid websites or costly paywalls, The Highland County Press has maintained a free newspaper and website for the last 28 years for our community. If you would like to contribute to this service, it would be greatly appreciated. Donations may be made to: The Highland County Press, P.O. Box 849, Hillsboro, Ohio 45133. Please include "for website" on the memo line.