A local pastor was sentenced to 20 years in prison Tuesday for sexual assault of a teen girl, according to Whitney Police Department.
Benjamin Nelson, 27, was arrested in February 2017 on two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child, a first-degree felony, and three related charges.
The charges came after the teen's mother caught her daughter with Nelson in the parking lot of a strip center near the family's home. Nelson nearly hit the mother and the victim when reversing his car attempting to leave the scene, according to Whitney Police.
According to the Whitney Police Department, the 13-year-old girl reported to the department had been texting via "Snapchat" for two weeks before meeting and engaging in sexual contact with him.
At the time of the offense, the Nelson was the Pastor of a small Baptist church west of Hillsboro. Nelson was also attending George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University.
Nelson pleaded guilty to all five counts and is required to register as a lifetime sex offender.