Gilbert minister convicted of child molestation
March 27th, 2008, 5:45 pm · 7 Comments · posted by Nick R. Martin
A Maricopa County jury on Thursday found a former Methodist youth minister from Gilbert guilty of molesting a 13-year-old girl who was the daughter of family friends.
James Ward Chapman III, 40, was convicted of a count each of child molestation and child abuse for the December 2006 incident in which he crawled into the girl’s bed and molested her.
Chapman was a volunteer youth minister at First United Methodist Church, and prosecutors with the county attorney’s office said the girl thought of him as a trusted friend.
The case first came to the attention of police when the girl told school counselors about the incident last year.
Chapman’s trial lasted just three days, with opening arguments beginning Tuesday and the jury reaching its decision Thursday afternoon.
When Chapman is sentenced April 24, he could face up to 22 years in prison.
March 28th, 2008 at 2:59 am
Awww.look at Mr. Sad Face, just because she was deaf idiot, does not mean she was DUMB! Hope someone wraps their big furry arms around you in prison and gives you a taste of what this young girl went thru. Good luck with that……Minister, Man of God? I don’t think so.
March 28th, 2008 at 8:56 am
Overall, it is more than possible that Mr. Sad Face has done this more than once before, but never got reported or caught, just like catching a drunk driver.
A lot of parents may have “overlooked” a similar situation with him and just got on with their lives, regardless of the damage to their child.
At least he was convicted for this one, and will enjoy the “comfort” of others slipping into his bunk.
The most people who should not be trusted are the people who think you do.
March 28th, 2008 at 9:08 am
Some people (perhaps especially volunteers) get into a ministerial position BECAUSE it is such a position of trust by families and children. They do not become ministers for the spiritual and ministry aspect. Volunteers are not checked as minutely as pastors or paid church positions. This needs to be changed!
March 30th, 2008 at 8:53 am
First of all he was NOT a minister, Get it right people. You don’t know the real story as the media has written so many false things. You all should be ashamed guilty or not.
March 30th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
I have worked in Law Enforcement for almost two decades. Having a little knowledge of the psycology assocated with offenders such as this monster, I can assure everyone that he has offended with other victims, and it is a shame that he is not held accountable for all of his criminal acts. My heart goes out to all of his victims, not only those who he offended criminally, but also (and this is most often overlooked) to the many people who he deceived, lied to, and devistated their lives as well. Let us not forget to extend our prayers and thoughts for all of them… as for the piece of human trash that is pictured above… I hope that he receives the maximum sentence allowed by law, and that every second that he spends incarcerated he feels (emotionally and physically) every ounce of pain that he has inflicted on everyone that he has offended. It is not my intention to judge, only God can hand down the final judgement… but he has been found guilty in court, and hopefully the consequence of his actions bring a harsh punishment.
June 5th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
I just happened across this.
People, I DATED THIS GUY IN HIGH SCHOOL!!! Talk about being weirded out!!!
Not like we were boyfriend/girlfriend for any length of time, but we did date, go out, kiss, etc. More than that, we were just good friends, and hung out with a group of friends all year long. In fact, he was a pretty “safe” friend/date - treated me nice, never pressured me for anything, and when the dating was over the friendship was still there. We never did more than hug, kiss, or hold hands. (he looked different then too - sparkle in his eye, smirk in his grin, funny guy, smart & talented, physically fit - oh, and had hair)
And I never never EVER would have predicted this, back then. He never did or said one single thing that, now, I’d say, “Ohhhh, now I get it.” No - it just didn’t happen. At least not while I was around him. In fact, I could probably think of about 20 other people I’d peg as a pervert before him.
It makes me wonder how someone can be a totally cool, fun, funny, good friend, and then grow up & do this. What the heck happened after high school? Was he going for young girls even then?? I mean younger than me? (I was 2 yrs behind him in school; 16 to his 18 - pretty normal). I shudder to think. Since he admitted it, I gotta believe he did it. But wow, this is NOT the guy I knew back then.
I’m so very very sorry for the people he hurt. It’s terribly sad, and my heart goes out to them. And as a mother myself, I’d have his head on a platter if he did it to my kids!
June 24th, 2008 at 10:52 am
To read what others have written, and read all the evidence, as well as having attended the trial, and the sentencing… There is a lot of information that was not made public. Note: The defendant was cooperative throughout the process. The girl is on record as a liar, having “accused” not only her own father and brother, other people of inappropriate behavior. She has been called out on several instances of in-appropriate behavior prior to this incident. When the defendant was initially questioned it was clear that he himself was impaired by alcohol. The police officer did a lousy job of interrogation. In addition: The wife of the defendant immediately divorced him so that she, who was in the next room at the time of the alledged mis-conduct, would not be dragged into court by the procecutor. Smells bad. Smells set-up. Just Smells! People - Emerson said it well: What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters to what lies within us. Look at yourselves and find no fault before you jump on someone else. Get the facts straight before you become pious - if it is indeed your business at all!