Alabama evangelist sentenced to more than 1,000 years for child sex abuse ‘tried to contact young victims from jail on Christmas Eve’
- Paul Acton Bowen, 39, tried to contact at least one victim on Christmas Eve
- The pedophilic sexual abuser had been banned from using text and emails in jail
- His attorney said that messages he sent were ‘clearly trying to influence victim’
Paul Edward Acton Bowen, 39, tried to contact at least one victim on Christmas Eve, according to the Etowah County Deputy District Attorney Carol Griffith
A disgraced youth evangelist minister from Alabama who was last month sentenced to 1,008 years in prison for child sex abuse has tried to contact victims from jail, authorities say.
On Christmas Eve, Paul Edward Acton Bowen, 39, repeatedly tried to contact at least one of his victims, according to the Etowah County Deputy District Attorney Carol Griffith.
The pedophile allegedly tried to make contact using the Etowah County Detention Center’s video visitation machine because he isn’t allowed to use the text and email kiosks due to previous court orders.
Ms Griffith made the comments after Bowen’s attorney requested his communication restrictions be lifted. In May Bowen was ordered by a judge to only communicate with his parents and his lawyers.
The restrictions were initially put into place because Bowen had tried to contact one of his victims via text message.
The messages allegedly suggested that he had contacted other victims while their cases were still ongoing.
Jail records seen by AL showed eight messages were sent from Bowen to the victim which ‘clearly indicate an intent to influence the victim’s feelings, and potentially his testimony… and to discourage the victim from cooperating with prosecution of this case,’ Ms Griffith wrote at the time.
The pedophile allegedly tried to make contact using the Etowah County Detention Center’s video visitation machine because he isn’t allowed to use the text and email kiosks due to previous court orders
Bowen’s attorney, John Floyd, argued that he should be allowed to talk to family and friends because his transfer to state prison but a judge has not yet made a ruling.
In December Bowen, who falsely claimed to be a Fox News contributor, pleaded guilty to 28 counts of sexual abuse involving six male victims aged between 13 and 16.
He initially denied all allegations of inappropriate conduct.
Among the charges were enticing a child for a sexual act, sodomy, traveling to meet a child for a sexual act and sexual abuse.
The sexual abuser’s ex-wife is the daughter of an Etowah County judge.
Before Bowen’s sentencing he reportedly said: ‘The shame and guilt I feel is overwhelming and has been for a long time. My heart was never wanting to hurt anybody, but my mind was not well.’
The sexual abuser’s ex-wife Ashley Nabors is the daughter of an Etowah County judge
His attorney argued that he had PTSD because of his own experience of being sexually molested as a child.
Bowen is still awaiting trial in Jefferson County on three felony charges of traveling to meet a child for sex, enticing a child for a sexual act and sodomy.
The trial is set for April 20 this year.