https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local...cle_45754836-120b-11ee-ba48-57e988dd358c.html
Joseph R. Eyer, 52, was charged in 2020 with three counts of child molestation, a single count of sexual misconduct and a single count of sexual battery, according to court records.
The maximum sentence for child molestation is 40 years in Indiana.
Charging documents detailed how Eyer, a former deacon with Hammond's First Baptist Church, purportedly molested the teen for several years in Gary.
Eyer allegedly watched the boy in the shower many times and touched his genitals, according to the probable cause affidavit.
Eyer’s wife testified ahead of his sentencing and asked Judge Salvador Vasquez to give him a modified sentence because her husband helps her run her business.
“He is a good man doing the best he can,” she told the courtroom.
Prosecutor Tara Villarreal asked the woman if she was aware about what happened (in reference to the purported molestation) and the woman said she was, but she felt that it was exaggerated.
A man from Eyer’s church (Living Stones church in Crown Point), who said he works in church security, also testified in support of him ahead of his sentencing. He described Eyer as a good man who always has a smile on his face and said he is not concerned about Eyer being around children at the church.
Eyer’s brother described him as a master manipulator, and said Eyer has a pattern of behaving inappropriately with children.
The man detailed how when they were younger, their parents begged Eyer to stay away from children. He asked Judge Vasquez to give Eyer the maximum sentence because he feels that is the only way his brother will truly understand the consequences of his actions.
“He needs a wake-up call or else he’ll continue living that way,” Eyer’s brother said.
Eyer’s sister reiterated her brother’s testimony that something must be done or his behavior will continue.
“Doesn’t somebody have to stand up and say it’s wrong?” she said.
Michael Campbell, Eyer’s attorney, said his client should receive a modified sentence because he has limited criminal history and is unlikely to reoffend.
Villarreal disagreed with Campbell’s characterization of Eyer. She said Eyer has shown a clear pattern of conduct, and noted that the most disturbing aspect is how he always wants to be around children.
Villarreal said Eyer has not taken full responsibility, and pointed out how in his pre-sentence report Eyer said he doesn’t have a relationship with his brother because “he’s the one who started all this.”
“That’s the defendant’s true character – blaming everyone else,” she said.
She also said the church and Eyer’s wife manipulated the victim in an attempt to get him to recant the allegations.
Before he was sentenced, Eyer apologized for his actions and said he is taking full responsibility for what he’s done. “I don’t make light of it and I don’t try to excuse it,” he told the courtroom.
Eyer’s brother said that he is satisfied with his brother’s sentence, and added that he feels that his brother will finally start to see the repercussions for his actions.
"While we're disappointed he was sentenced to a term of incarceration, we are grateful that the sentence imposed was significantly less than it could have been given the original charges," Campbell said in a statement. "Eyer and his family are now focused on moving forward and healing one day at a time."
https://www.chicagotribune.com/subu...0230623-sahcvfk5unbrrcppu45o6dkkpq-story.html
A Merrillville man was sentenced to 1½ years in prison Friday after he admitted to inappropriately viewing and touching an underage boy.
Joseph Eyer, 52, pleaded guilty to Level 6 felony sexual battery, according to court records.
He will also serve another year on probation and must register as a sex offender for a decade.
A charging affidavit shows the allegations first surfaced in August 2020. The abuse started around 2017 when the victim was 12, continuing to at least 2019.
The Post-Tribune is not identifying several people in this story to protect the victim’s identity.
Court records show the victim’s mother initially spoke with police. On Friday, she testified saying she believed what happened was “exaggerated.”
Jeffrey Heflin, a patron at Living Stones Church in Crown Point said he befriended Eyer about three years ago. Eyer showed personal “growth” since they met, he said.
You met Eyer after he was charged, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Tara Villarreal asked. Did you know about these allegations?
“Yes, we’ve had that conversation,” Heflin said.
Villareal asked if he was worried if he was worried about Eyer being around kids at the church.
“I am not,” Heflin responded, noting he was on the church’s “security team”.
Two of Eyer’s relatives testified Friday that he abused them decades ago when they were children.
One woman said he abused her from age 4 to 7.
If Eyer got off lightly, it would “embolden” and fail to deter future abuse, the other man said. Eyer always wanted to be around children, despite a troubling history, the man alleged.
Defense attorney Michael Campbell objected to some of the man’s accusations, saying he didn’t have “first hand” knowledge. The hearing needed to stick to what was charged in the case, he argued.
Villarreal later told the court that the sentencing in April had to be pushed back when the victim seemed to want to “recant” his story. He didn’t understand what that meant, she said.
When he was brought in and deposed again, prosecutors learned he saw his mother and her friend weekly at church. The church friend “constantly” brought up the case and tried to pressure the victim to drop his accusations, the prosecutor said.
The mother’s friend tried to “blow up the whole case,” Villarreal said.
Church members also wrote several letters on Eyer’s behalf, Villarreal said. Certain relatives and the church were “using their religion as a way to manipulate him,” she alleged.
Villarreal asked for the maximum 2.5 years, while Campbell argued for probation.
“What I did was wrong,” Eyer said in court. “I live with it every day.”
Judge Salvador Vasquez noted Eyer only had one misdemeanor conviction on a welfare fraud case.
His actions were manipulative, “predatory” and “violated” the child’s trust, he said.
The victim, now 18, did not attend Friday’s hearing.
Joseph R. Eyer, 52, was charged in 2020 with three counts of child molestation, a single count of sexual misconduct and a single count of sexual battery, according to court records.
The maximum sentence for child molestation is 40 years in Indiana.
Charging documents detailed how Eyer, a former deacon with Hammond's First Baptist Church, purportedly molested the teen for several years in Gary.
Eyer allegedly watched the boy in the shower many times and touched his genitals, according to the probable cause affidavit.
Eyer’s wife testified ahead of his sentencing and asked Judge Salvador Vasquez to give him a modified sentence because her husband helps her run her business.
“He is a good man doing the best he can,” she told the courtroom.
Prosecutor Tara Villarreal asked the woman if she was aware about what happened (in reference to the purported molestation) and the woman said she was, but she felt that it was exaggerated.
A man from Eyer’s church (Living Stones church in Crown Point), who said he works in church security, also testified in support of him ahead of his sentencing. He described Eyer as a good man who always has a smile on his face and said he is not concerned about Eyer being around children at the church.
Eyer’s brother described him as a master manipulator, and said Eyer has a pattern of behaving inappropriately with children.
The man detailed how when they were younger, their parents begged Eyer to stay away from children. He asked Judge Vasquez to give Eyer the maximum sentence because he feels that is the only way his brother will truly understand the consequences of his actions.
“He needs a wake-up call or else he’ll continue living that way,” Eyer’s brother said.
Eyer’s sister reiterated her brother’s testimony that something must be done or his behavior will continue.
“Doesn’t somebody have to stand up and say it’s wrong?” she said.
Michael Campbell, Eyer’s attorney, said his client should receive a modified sentence because he has limited criminal history and is unlikely to reoffend.
Villarreal disagreed with Campbell’s characterization of Eyer. She said Eyer has shown a clear pattern of conduct, and noted that the most disturbing aspect is how he always wants to be around children.
Villarreal said Eyer has not taken full responsibility, and pointed out how in his pre-sentence report Eyer said he doesn’t have a relationship with his brother because “he’s the one who started all this.”
“That’s the defendant’s true character – blaming everyone else,” she said.
She also said the church and Eyer’s wife manipulated the victim in an attempt to get him to recant the allegations.
Before he was sentenced, Eyer apologized for his actions and said he is taking full responsibility for what he’s done. “I don’t make light of it and I don’t try to excuse it,” he told the courtroom.
Eyer’s brother said that he is satisfied with his brother’s sentence, and added that he feels that his brother will finally start to see the repercussions for his actions.
"While we're disappointed he was sentenced to a term of incarceration, we are grateful that the sentence imposed was significantly less than it could have been given the original charges," Campbell said in a statement. "Eyer and his family are now focused on moving forward and healing one day at a time."
https://www.chicagotribune.com/subu...0230623-sahcvfk5unbrrcppu45o6dkkpq-story.html
A Merrillville man was sentenced to 1½ years in prison Friday after he admitted to inappropriately viewing and touching an underage boy.
Joseph Eyer, 52, pleaded guilty to Level 6 felony sexual battery, according to court records.
He will also serve another year on probation and must register as a sex offender for a decade.
A charging affidavit shows the allegations first surfaced in August 2020. The abuse started around 2017 when the victim was 12, continuing to at least 2019.
The Post-Tribune is not identifying several people in this story to protect the victim’s identity.
Court records show the victim’s mother initially spoke with police. On Friday, she testified saying she believed what happened was “exaggerated.”
Jeffrey Heflin, a patron at Living Stones Church in Crown Point said he befriended Eyer about three years ago. Eyer showed personal “growth” since they met, he said.
You met Eyer after he was charged, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Tara Villarreal asked. Did you know about these allegations?
“Yes, we’ve had that conversation,” Heflin said.
Villareal asked if he was worried if he was worried about Eyer being around kids at the church.
“I am not,” Heflin responded, noting he was on the church’s “security team”.
Two of Eyer’s relatives testified Friday that he abused them decades ago when they were children.
One woman said he abused her from age 4 to 7.
If Eyer got off lightly, it would “embolden” and fail to deter future abuse, the other man said. Eyer always wanted to be around children, despite a troubling history, the man alleged.
Defense attorney Michael Campbell objected to some of the man’s accusations, saying he didn’t have “first hand” knowledge. The hearing needed to stick to what was charged in the case, he argued.
Villarreal later told the court that the sentencing in April had to be pushed back when the victim seemed to want to “recant” his story. He didn’t understand what that meant, she said.
When he was brought in and deposed again, prosecutors learned he saw his mother and her friend weekly at church. The church friend “constantly” brought up the case and tried to pressure the victim to drop his accusations, the prosecutor said.
The mother’s friend tried to “blow up the whole case,” Villarreal said.
Church members also wrote several letters on Eyer’s behalf, Villarreal said. Certain relatives and the church were “using their religion as a way to manipulate him,” she alleged.
Villarreal asked for the maximum 2.5 years, while Campbell argued for probation.
“What I did was wrong,” Eyer said in court. “I live with it every day.”
Judge Salvador Vasquez noted Eyer only had one misdemeanor conviction on a welfare fraud case.
His actions were manipulative, “predatory” and “violated” the child’s trust, he said.
The victim, now 18, did not attend Friday’s hearing.
