Former church leader pleads guilty to additional charges

A former church leader already behind bars for sexually abusing a young boy pleaded guilty to abusing another boy.

42-year-old Joe Flowers took a plea deal Wednesday morning in court. He is already serving seven years after a jury convicted him last year of abusing a boy.

This is the second time Flowers has been in court in the last two days. Both cases involve the same boy. On Tuesday, Flowers pleaded guilty in federal court to taking the boy to Florida in 2004 and sexually abusing him. On Wednesday, he plead guilty again in county court and this time, he got emotional when he admitted what he did to the boy in his Henrietta home in 2005.

Defense attorney Maurice Verrillo said, ?He is very remorseful about the situation which he?s admitted to and I believe that?s genuine from what I?ve seen both in the case today and the case yesterday. He is very sorry about what happened.?

In court Wednesday, Flowers pleaded guilty to one count of criminal sex abuse, taking a plea deal. Flowers admitted he sexually abused the boy on Thanksgiving Day in 2005.

Assistant District Attorney Sarah VanStrydonck said, ?He engaged in this conduct in his home. It was where the boys would frequently spend the night, they are boys from the church and this victim, the young victim was a member of the church.?

Flowers also gave up his right to appeal. Included in Wednesday?s plea deal is a third victim. In that case, Flowers was facing two misdemeanor counts for having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a child.

The prosecution says Flowers took advantage of his position as a bishop at Walk of Life Christian Center.

VanStrydonck said, "He was someone that these children looked up to as their spiritual leader, and in a lot of senses as a father figure. A lot of these boys didn't have a strong father figure, a male role in their lives. Certainly the acts are, but the position of authority and trust that he held in our community in general, speaks to the acts in this case."

News10NBC went to Flowers? home in Henrietta and noticed the house is up for sale. Sentencing for Wednesday?s plea deal will be on September 7, the day after he is sentenced for the federal charge. The judge said he will sentence him to the maximum of 1 1/3 to 4 years. He is already serving seven years for another charge.?.

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