Philadelphia Megachurch Pastor Who ‘Covered Victim’s Mouth to Muffle Her Screams’ Before Sexually Assaulting Her in Abandoned Building Sentenced to 12 Years Jail
Mark Hatcher, Sr., of Holy Ghost Headquarters Revival Center, has been sentenced to five to 12 years in prison for sexually assaulting three children.
Aug. 13 2024, Published 3:01 p.m. ET
A megachurch pastor in Philadelphia, who the judge referred to as a “serial predator”, has been sentenced to five to 12 years in prison for sexually assaulting three children, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
In February, Mark Hatcher, Sr., 61, of Holy Ghost Headquarters Revival Center, was convicted of rape, statutory sexual assault and indecent assault, Front Page Detectives reported.
Hatcher was convicted of rape, statutory sexual assault, and indecent assault on three victims.
Two of the convictions stem from Hatcher’s sexual assault of two children to whom he was related — a 6-year-old boy in 2007-2008 and a 15-year-old girl in 2000. The third conviction was for raping a 13-year-old girl in an abandoned home owned by Hatcher’s church.
During his sentencing, Montgomery County Court Judge Thomas Branca said there were two men on trial: one was an active, beloved community leader and pastor, the other was a serial predator, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
In sentencing, the judge tried to weigh the Hatcher who did good for the community and the other Hatcher, who was a 'serial predator.'
According to KYW Newsradio, the judge said he considered the good Hatcher has done, but said “heavier weight goes to the crimes he’s committed.”
Prosecutor Caroline Goldstein also argued Hatcher used his position as pastor to take advantage of people, especially children, and that outweighs any positive actions.
As a pastor, prosecutors said Hatcher took advantage of people, especially children.
During the trial, one of the victims claimed Hatcher kissed him and touched his bottom under his clothing when the now-22-year-old man was 6 to 7 years old.
Another victim told the court that when he was 6 years old, Hatcher used the boy’s hand to pleasure himself.
Both suspects were arrested on multiple charges, including child rape.
The third victim said that when she was 13, Hatcher pinned her to a mattress, covered her mouth to muffle her screams, and then raped her in an abandoned building.
Hatcher has maintained his innocence during the trial and sentencing, saying he hopes “God will heal the three people who a jury convicted him of sexually assaulting”, KYW Newsradio reported.
At the sentencing hearing, former Philadelphia Mayor Wilson Goode was one of three witnesses who testified on Hatchers’ behalf. He said Hatcher “brought fundamental changes to Philadelphia and he never heard anything negative about him in 30 years”.
When asked if he still supports Hatcher despite his conviction, Goode replied that while he supports him, "it’s very challenging and difficult to know the things he has done.”
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