Man pleads guilty to molesting teen

Chief Superior Court Judge John Bailey sentenced Norman Anthony Pugh, 44, to 13 years in prison with another seven years on probation on one count of child molestation for inappropriately touching a girl who was 13 years old at the time of the incident.

by Erin France

Athens Banner-Herald

November 30, 2010

LEXINGTON - A former Oglethorpe County youth minister pleaded guilty to molesting a teenage girl after being acquitted on similar charges four years ago.

Chief Superior Court Judge John Bailey sentenced Norman Anthony Pugh, 44, to 13 years in prison with another seven years on probation on one count of child molestation for inappropriately touching a girl who was 13 years old at the time of the incident.

District Attorney Bob Lavender dropped the eight additional counts of furnishing sexual material to a child - charges a grand jury indicted Pugh on in November last year.

Pugh also must register as a sex offender when he's released from prison, said Oglethorpe County Sheriff Mike Smith.

"It will follow him the rest of his life, so I guess I'm satisfied," Smith said.

Pugh, a truck driver who previously served as a youth minister for Arnoldsville Baptist Church, was acquitted in November 2006 of charges he molested a teenage girl who was a member of the church.

At that time, relatives and church members rallied around Pugh after his first arrest in 2005.

It took a jury about 90 minutes to acquit Pugh of all charges of fondling a girl who was 14 years old at the time she reported the alleged abuse.

Pugh was not working for the church when he was arrested last year and charged with molesting a different girl.

http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/113010/new_743156729.shtml

SBP Note: Arnoldsville Baptist Church is shown as being affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention.

See also: Former minister charged in molestation case, Athens Banner-Herald, 10/15/09