Shreveport Pastor Convicted of Engaging in Sexual Contact with Minors
| U.S. Attorney’s Office February 28, 2014 |
SHREVEPORT, LA—United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a federal jury found Andrea Lewis, 54, of Shreveport, guilty on three counts of transporting minors across state lines to have sex. United States District Judge Elizabeth Foote presided over the five-day trial.
A federal grand jury in Shreveport indicted Lewis in November of 2013. His trial began Monday and ended today with the jury returning the guilty verdict after deliberating for approximately three hours. Witness testimony and exhibits admitted into evidence established that Lewis transported at least three minors to and from Texas to have sex with them. The events happened from 1994 to 2000. Lewis is a Shreveport pastor who formed and actively recruited members of a choir, which consisted of girls mostly under the age of 18 in his congregation. He used his status as pastor and choir director to coerce young female church members to have sex with him. He threatened the girls not to tell anyone and used choir trips and other church related travel to cover up sexual abuse.
“This verdict should send the message that if you harm children, there are consequences,” Finley stated. “The Assistant U.S. Attorney, FBI, and Shreveport Police Department are to be commended. Their hard work and efforts have removed a dangerous man from our community. He can no longer exploit and hurt young girls. My office and our federal, state, and local partners are committed to protecting children. We will continue to prosecute these cases to the fullest extent of the law.”
Lewis faces up to 10 years in prison, five years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine for each count of transportation of minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. He will also be required to register as a sex offender. The sentencing date is June 20, 2014.
The Shreveport Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Earl M. Campbell is prosecuting the case.