Former Arkansas pastor pleads guilty to child rape

A former Arkansas pastor has been sentenced to 50 years in prison after pleading guilty to three counts of raping his own minor children.

James Edwin Cowan, 46, will also serve a 30-year suspended sentence upon his release from prison. according to Arkansas Southwest Judicial District Prosecutor Jana Bradford. He must serve 35 years before he can be eligible for parole.

That’s according to court documents obtained by the Arkansas Justice ProjectCowan was charged with 28 counts of child rape and his trial was scheduled to begin on November 18. The children are said to be younger than 14 years old.

He was the former pastor of Little River Community Church in Winthrop, Arkansas.

The prosecutor said Cowan will also have to register as a sex offender when he gets out of prison.

“While no sentence can undo the harm done to these young victims, we hope this will provide some measure of justice and allow them to begin the long process of healing,” said Bradford.

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(Featured image: James Cowan/Facebook)