Former Parker youth pastor gets 7 years in prison
A former Parker pastor will serve seven years in prison after he used his position in a youth group to molest girls, authorities say.
Douglas County District Judge Shay Whitaker sentenced Joshua Mark Clemons, 35, to four years in prison and 10 years of sex offender intensive supervision probation. He’ll serve a threeyear prison sentence in a related Den ver case as part of his plea deal.
Clemons pleaded guilty July 23 in the Parker case to sexual exploitation of a child and attempted sexual assault of a child by someone in a position of trust, according to a news release from Vikki Migoya, spokeswoman for Arapahoe County District Attorney George Brauchler.
“Time and time again we see predators putting themselves in positions to have access to the vulnerable populations they prey upon,” Brauchler said in a statement. “Here we have a man professing to help kids during a tough time in their lives, when instead he is manipulating them so he could abuse and molest them.”
Clemons had lived in Denver when he was working for the Parker church.
One girl, who was 17 at the time, told Parker police that Clemons used his position as youth pastor to manipulate her and get close to her, according to the news release. The mother of another girl told police Clemons is “a master manipulator not only of students but of adults as well.”
“This perpetrator is going to prison, where he belongs, and his victims are getting the real help they need,” Brauchler said.