A former pastor has been sentenced to 10 years behind bars.
Last year, Rodney Martin Locklear, 49, of Ruckersville was arrested and charged with abduction with the intent to defile; two counts of aggravated sexual battery by force of a 13 to 14-year-old; object sexual penetration by force; abduction of a minor; three counts of an indecent act with a child while a custodian and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Six of the charges were originally charged in Madison County, but adjoined with cases in Greene County to prevent victims from having to testify multiple times. The crimes allegedly occurred in early May 2023 both at the now-defunct Victory Church in Ruckersville, where Locklear was a pastor for six years, and at his nearby residence. Prior to his tenure at Victory Church, Locklear pastored at Abundant Life Church. He pleaded not guilty to all charges in October and was placed under GPS-monitored house arrest allowing for travel to and from work.
In August, eight new felony embezzlement charges were added, stemming from Locklear’s time at Victory Church. The crimes allegedly occurred over a multi-year period from 2020 through 2023.
Locklear entered into a plea agreement, pleading guilty to amended charges. The abduction with the intent to defile class two felony charge was amended to abuse of a child with a disregard for life, a class six felony. The aggravated sexual battery by force of a 13 to 14-year-old felony charge was amended to sexual assault of a child 13 to 14 years old, a class one misdemeanor. The object sexual penetration by force charge, an unclassified felony, was amended to abuse of a child with a disregard for life, a class six felony. Abduction of a minor, a class two felony, was amended to sexual assault of a child 13 to 14 years old, a class one misdemeanor. Three charges of indecent act with a child by a custodian, an aggravated sexual battery charge and a contributing to the delinquency of a minor charge were nol prossed. Locklear also pleaded guilty to eight charges of embezzlement of more than $1,000.
On Monday, Locklear was sentenced to five years each on the two felony child abuse charges with 2.5 years suspended on each and 80 years with all but six months suspended on each of the eight embezzlement convictions. He also received two 12-month jail sentences for the sexual assault charges with with six months suspended on each totaling 9 years active incarceration in prison and 12 months active incarceration in jail. He was also ordered to pay restitution of approximately $153,000.
