YouTube preacher sentenced to 52 years for rape, sexual battery of child

June 29--A 29-year-old preacher who referred to himself as a "prophet" on YouTube was sentenced Thursday to 52 years for raping a child in Memphis.

Jurors convicted Jarvis Gray in May of rape of a child and aggravated sexual battery.

A 5-year-old reported to workers at her daycare facility that "Prophet Gray" touched her, and a police report was taken July 24, 2013. She later disclosed in a forensic interview that he raped her. She said that he cared for her and her siblings while her parents were away. He lived in their Memphis home from about June 2012 to July 2013, but was not related to the family, according to an affidavit.

The victim was particularly vulnerable because of her age, and Gray abused a position of trust, said Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Lee Coffee.

Saying there were not enough years in prison that he could impose under the law, Coffee sentenced Gray to 40 years in prison served at 100 percent for raping the girl and for 12 years for aggravated sexual battery also served at 100 percent. The sentences are to be served consecutively.

Gray was also charged with having sexual contact with a young boy in a pending case.

The girl's father testified Thursday about the suffering the family has experienced and asked that Gray receive the maximum punishment for the crime. Counseling has been ongoing after the crime, the father said.

Also, he said he and his wife suffered "great emotional and even physical effect as far as my family, my church, my home."

The girl filled out a victim impact statement in which she drew and wrote what she believes should happen to Gray including jail "for his whole life" and that he get help and stay away from kids.

This story will be updated.

___

(c)2017 The Commercial Appeal (Memphis, Tenn.)

Visit The Commercial Appeal (Memphis, Tenn.) at www.commercialappeal.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.