Pastor and wife spread Gospel nationwide before abuse case exposed disturbing reality

A Tennessee pastor who spent years traveling the country for his ministry will spend the rest of his life behind bars after a jury convicted him of raping a child, while his wife was found guilty of facilitating the abuse, authorities said.

Benjamin Garlick, 35, was found guilty Monday of seven counts of aggravated rape of a child, six counts of aggravated sexual battery, one count of solicitation of sexual exploitation of a minor and two violations of Tennessee's Child Protection Act after a two-week trial in Rutherford County.

Circuit Court Judge Barry Tidwell sentenced Garlick to life in prison without the possibility of parole on the aggravated rape convictions, according to the Murfreesboro Police Department.

He still faces sentencing on the remaining convictions on Nov.

10.

Garlick's wife, 32-year-old Shaantal Garlick, was convicted of two counts of facilitation of aggravated rape of a child and two counts of aggravated child neglect.

She is scheduled to be sentenced Nov.

10.

OHIO POLICE CHIEF ARRESTED IN FLORIDA AFTER GRAND JURY HANDS DOWN 70-COUNT CHILD SEX INDICTMENT The case began in August 2023, when the Murfreesboro Police Department's Special Victims Unit launched an investigation into the sexual abuse of a child who was just 5 years old at the time.

Police said the abuse had occurred over several years.

As detectives dug deeper, they identified two additional victims, according to police.

Investigators also determined that Shaantal Garlick knowingly neglected a victim in a way that affected the child's health and welfare and assisted in the sexual abuse, police said.

"The Murfreesboro Police Department thanks all members of the Child Protective Investigative Team (CPIT) for their tireless work throughout this investigation and trial, ensuring the victims’ voices were heard and justice was served," Det.

James Wilkinson, lead investigator, said after the convictions.