A Woodside pastor who sexually abused a six-year-old girl in his wife’s daycare for one year has been sentenced to seven years in prison, according to Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown.
James Love, 46, of 51st Street in Woodside, abused the child from June 2015 through June 2016. The victim had attended Love’s wife’s daycare that was being run in their home. He was charged with first-degree sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child. Once he serves his prison sentence, Love will be on post-release supervision for 10 years and will have to register as a sex offender.
According to Brown, the the church pastor, who worked at New Mount Zion Baptist Church in Harlem, touched the victim’s vagina through her clothes on numerous occasions. He also rubbed himself against the girl and tried to kiss her. He also exposed his genitals and forced the victim to touch them.
“A jury listened to all the evidence and convicted the defendant of sexually abusing an innocent, little girl,” Brown said. “The victim’s mother dropped off the youngster at a trusted babysitter’s home. She had every expectation that her daughter would be cared for and protected, but instead the husband of the sitter took advantage of the girl’s proximity and repeatedly violated her for his own sexual gratification. The defendant will be incarcerated to punish him for these acts as well as to protect others from his depraved impulses.”
