Accused of 3 Counts of Criminal Sexual Conduct it Appears Former Lutheran Minister Nathan Luong Will Accept a Plea Bargain and Receive 60-120 Days in Jail

I have written about Nathan Luong in the past. You can view the story I wrote on August 18, 2023, here. I wanted to provide the readers with an update as Nathan Luong had a Pre-trial hearing today. I was able to observe the hearing via Zoom.

 

Present in the Zoom call were Judge Robert Docherty, Defense Attorney Scott Lewis, Jill Green, an Attorney for the State, Defendant Nathan Luong, and myself.

The hearing lasted approximately 10 minutes.

Judge Docherty asked the Defense Attorney whether they had any pre-trial issues. The Defense Attorney replied they had no issues but advised Judge Docherty that they were working on a Settlement Conference.

Judge Docherty then asked Prosecutor Green how long she thought the trial would take. She replied “Three days.”

After consultation, Judge Docherty scheduled the trial for May 29-31 with a back-up date of April 10-12.

Prosecutor Green wanted to advise Judge Docherty on the record that the State had offered a Plea deal to the Defense. Green stated the offer was for Luong to plead guilty to one count of Third-Degree Sexual Conduct and he would be sentenced to 120 days in jail, of which 1/2 of the jail time could be waived by the Judge.

Defense Attorney Scott Lewis advised he had not yet seen the offer.

Judge Docherty stated there was plenty of time to reach an agreement and if they did so he could schedule an earlier Hearing. Judge Docherty then adjourned the court session.

Below is a list of the three counts Luong is charged with, as you can see each count contains a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a $30,000 fine.

I expect Luong to accept the plea deal because, IMO, the evidence against Luong is overwhelming.  He would be a fool not to take 60-120 days in jail, avoiding the possibility of 45 years in jail. Realistically I would think if the case proceeds to trial and Luong is convicted my guess is he would receive 5 years per count and the Judge would probably run the three counts concurrently.

Again, IMO, the plea bargain is way too generous, but then I am not an expert in the Law, nor do I know the specifics of the case. Perhaps the Victim is hesitant to testify, but that is conjecture on my part.

The screenshot below is not precise in what it describes as the conduct for Third-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct. The actual Complaint above is accurate. I wanted to post this because I noticed a difference in the registration as a sex offender.  Notice the First Degree says “Lifetime registration as a sex offender,” whereas the Third Degree says “Registration as a sex offender,” implying that it’s not a lifetime registration.

 

Take note of the screenshot below. Pastor Nathan Luong denied all allegations when questioned by police and he signed an affidavit denying the charges. He and his wife have both separately denied the charges are true. This leads me to a question. If Luong signs an affidavit denying all charges and later pleads guilty, can he be charged with perjury? I emailed Ms. Green, the Prosecutor my question and I will let you know if she answers me.

Recently I was emailed the following Facebook post written by Nathan Luong. He has since shut down all his social media accounts, but once something is published on social media there is no reeling it back. I look forward to your comments on his post!


 Nate Luong

 August 28, 2022

 A year ago, I never would have expected the trials and challenges that have been put in my path. Over the past year, things have been said about me that are horrible. Lies have been told. Words and actions have been twisted. Some of my own faults, things spoken in confidence, or deeply personal things have been made fully public. My reputation, my intentions, my work, my character has all been put to question. All of that has forced me to a very different place.

 Through it all, I’ve wished people would understand something crucial. You can never know the full story of someone’s life. You can never know the choices they’ve had to make. You don’t know the challenges. You don’t the situations or the relationships they have. You can never know the full struggle.  If people truly understood that, this past year may have been different.

 For example, as write this, it’s 2:00 in the morning. It’s one of my nights to sleep next to my youngest. So I’m on a mattress in the basement with him. He has just had another bout of seizures. About 7 minutes of hell. Violent enough to wake me up. For 7 minutes, I’ve swiped a magnet over his surgically implanted device designed to help stop his seizures. 7 minutes of desperately, helplessly trying to get them to stop, to no avail. 7 minutes of watching painful looks of fear and discomfort in his eyes. But this is not abnormal. Routine actually. For years now, night after night one of us stays with him. I usually spend my nights mostly awake, worrying that one of his seizures may cause him to stop breathing. For 5 years, I’ve been in constant fear that at any moment I could wake in up and he will be gone. So for years we’ve taken turns with him, every single night. We take the night watch so that everyone else can sleep and try to let the fear go for a little bit. But they are nights of actual fear. And even on my off nights, the fear is still there. That paralyzing fear is only one tiny facet of my story.

Some of you may understand that fear. Many of you don’t. If you do, you’ll of be wise enough to know that fear is not the same for everyone. You’ll also know that the pervasive nature of fear and anxiety infects every part of life, in subtle, unexpected ways. You’ll know it never fades. Imagine living every day of your life, waiting for your 5 year old child to stop breathing. Knowing that at moment, they could just be gone. I hope you can’t. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.

The fear and anxiety is so overwhelming sometimes that I get physically sick. I have for years. Only once tonight though. But most would never know that. For years that’s been hidden. Just a burden to carry throughout the day while trying to function. Trying to isolate it or bottle it SO that I can still live. But it’s always there, impacting nearly everything we do. Nearly every choice I’ve made has been informed by what was best for my kid, what we needed to do to survive, and maybe even stay a little sane.

 I write this, not because I need your sympathy. I don’t actually want it. You can feel free to say what you want about me, I’m over it. But what I need is for you to be better. I need you to be someone in this world that doesn’t drag others down because you don’t understand the full story of someone’s life. I need you to be a person of imagination. One who imagines that people are actually trying as hard as they can. That sometimes people make decisions knowing there is no right answer. One that understands that sometimes, someone’s life can’t actually look normal. Our world is full of people who are eager to break you down. I’ve come to find out that harsh reality of life. Some are so quick to judge without even trying to understand. I’ve come to know that while my story is unique, it is not uncommon.

So instead of being someone my who breaks others down, be better. You have no idea what their world is really like.

 Now, I’m going to snuggle my son, try to get some sleep, forget the rest of the challenges for a bit, and try to treasure the moments get with him. I’m not sure how many more I’ll So I’ll take these mostly sleepless moments for the rest of the night as a blessing, because at least I can still hear him breathing.

Comments

Accused of 3 Counts of Criminal Sexual Conduct it Appears Former Lutheran Minister Nathan Luong Will Accept a Plea Bargain and Receive 60-120 Days in Jail — 26 Comments


  1. Notice: Undefined variable: button in /home/guswo2wr8yyv/public_html/tww2/wp-content/plugins/quote-comments/quote-comments.php on line 127

    Todd, I went back and reread your earlier post about Luong.

    Uhm….. Luong’s Facebook post from 2022 ?????
    I get the a strong feeling that Luong was trying to use his son’s seizures to justify, and/or be given absolution for, having a criminal (and extra-marital) relationship with a teenage girl !!!!!!


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    Nancy2(aka Kevlar): Uhm….. Luong’s Facebook post from 2022 ?????
    I get the a strong feeling that Luong was trying to use his son’s seizures to justify, and/or be given absolution for, having a criminal (and extra-marital) relationship with a teenage girl !!!!!!

    I agree. His line “But what I need is for you to be better” is over the top. I know plenty of people living through difficult situations, but they don’t use their circumstances to justify criminal sexual abuse. I don’t need a lecture from a narcissistic alleged (I believe it to be true) sex abuser of minors. I wonder if the guy ever thought about how hard it would be on his family if he was locked up for years?

    Did you notice the concern and sorrow he expressed for the 17 year-old girl he used and abused for his pleasure?

    Neither did I.


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    Todd Wilhelm: I know plenty of people living through difficult situations, but they don’t use their circumstances to justify criminal sexual abuse. I don’t need a lecture from a narcissistic alleged (I believe it to be true) sex abuser of minors. I wonder if the guy ever thought about how hard it would be on his family if he was locked up for years?

    Did you notice the concern and sorrow he expressed for the 17 year-old girl he used and abused for his pleasure?

    Neither did I.

    Exactly.

    Questions:

    What does the suffering of the pastor’s son & its impact on the pastor and his family have to do with this same “pastor” criminally violating a minor? (I’ve heard of wartime rapes, but never heard of chronic illness in the family so we statutory rape a minor.)

    What are the qualifications for being a pastor? What are the deal-breakers?

    Finally, what type of behavioral specialist assesses and addresses this type of wires-crossed reasoning on the part of a professional public figure – “because of the suffering of my family member, that is the reason I criminally violate a minor”? What do the behavioral specialists say and is there help available, instead of going out and violating someone else’s child?


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    Todd Wilhelm: Did you notice the concern and sorrow he expressed for the 17 year-old girl he used and abused for his pleasure?

    Our neighbor was in the klink for 10 years after she had sex with her son’s high school friend. The boy was 17 and his parents went after this mother of one of their son’s friends. 10 years. A soccer mom going after a kid. And now forever registered as a sex offender. She is not a pastor. What was her excuse? She wasn’t having enough fun with her husband? Or, she was suffering with her husband?

    Did the pastor ask the congregation for help with his son? Ask Social Services for a nurse?

    (In our neighbor’s case, she should have gotten a divorce and found new ADULT company. While in prison, her husband divorced her, in any case.)


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    The nerve this man has to say he needs all of us to “be better.” News flash- we already are. That’s why we can type judgement of you Mr.Luong on our computers, because we’ve taken the speck out of our eyes and dude we see a log the size of Texas in yours.


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    WE need to be better?? Seriously?? How about YOU get off your self pity party and repent of sexual abuse? What does your sons disability have to do with your violating a young woman? Nothing!!!!! Be a MAN and own up to your actions!!


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    Wow. All I can say is wow.


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    This guy appears to be a classic abuser. Even his letter was about everyone else being better and about him being the hero for his son.

    In the meantime, Todd has been promoted to TWW’s chief court reporter. He will maintain his other duties as the head of our premier investigative division and the southwest desk. 🙂


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    While we would all like to see justice meted out on this side of glory for such characters, we can all rest assured that there will be no plea bargains at the Judgment seat of Christ.


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    Unbelievable. That letter is over-the-top, probably the worst example I’ve seen of self-justification… but I wish I could say it was atypical. I’ve had direct personal involvement in several cases of clergy misconduct (like being a member of (failed) restoration teams), and I have seen this pattern several times: The accused minimizes the big immoral thing they did, and fixates on angrily defending themselves on all the minor points regarding inaccuracies in the narrative. “Yes, I admit I abused her, but when X said Y that’s a lie.” — when in fact it was perhaps a slight misunderstanding on a minor point. “People are telling all kinds of lies about me; these things are just not true.” — when in fact the big thing they did is completely true. You would hope a Christian could just give a real confession and apology, express remorse and repentance (most especially to their victim), and not be so defensive and let the other stuff go… but some of these men just don’t seem to have it in them.


  11. Notice: Undefined variable: button in /home/guswo2wr8yyv/public_html/tww2/wp-content/plugins/quote-comments/quote-comments.php on line 127

    bendeni: The accused minimizes the big immoral thing they did, and fixates on angrily defending themselves on all the minor points regarding inaccuracies in the narrative.

    Standard DARVO behavior … we have seen it time and again on TWW reports.

    bendeni: You would hope a Christian could just give a real confession and apology, express remorse and repentance

    Oh, they will someday, but it will be too late. “I never knew you” will echo in their heads for all eternity.


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    Nancy2(aka Kevlar): I get the a strong feeling that Luong was trying to use his son’s seizures to justify, and/or be given absolution for, having a criminal (and extra-marital) relationship with a teenage girl !!!!!!

    That.


  13. Notice: Undefined variable: button in /home/guswo2wr8yyv/public_html/tww2/wp-content/plugins/quote-comments/quote-comments.php on line 127

    Do some people hope their younger generation will grow up to be red blooded? The hope that my secondary school teachers had for us when we were 14 – the ones who were under the former RE turned “civics” teacher who left in a hurry – round about the same time when evangelicals shape-shifted into influencers, although they had been warned not to? This minister should have researched church history better, to not get tied up in all that (and he doesn’t need all those jobs).


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    I just checked the court records and it appears Nathan Luong has jumped on the State’s Plea offer quicker than a duck on a June bug. Not surprised at all. The sentence will be a light slap on the wrist. Probably 60 days in the iron bar hotel.

    The Settlement Conference is scheduled for Feb 6, 2024.


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    bendeni: That letter is over-the-top, probably the worst example I’ve seen of self-justification… but I wish I could say it was atypical.

    In another clergy sex violation of women case: Hybels blamed his wife, which is a common defense among clergy. Wifey is inadequate to meet Dear Leader pastor’s “needs”.

    The solution, of course, is for Dear Leader to divorce his wife and legitimately with transparency court another woman who is deemed “adequate”. Instead of pastoral predation of parishioner women or teens or girls (or boys or men).

    Clergy give the impression that they have the God-anointed right to take what they want (“tithes”), who they want (prey), whenever they want. It’s all about them and what they want. In the name of God, of course.

    The priest Eli had sons who were of this type: the whatever whomever whenever boys. Didn’t end well for both father and sons.

    (Eli was the priest that falsely accused a praying woman [Hannah] of being drunk.)


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    Ava Aaronson: falsely accused a praying woman [Hannah] of being drunk

    When she was only speaking tourist Hebrew. (The hangup of faux anticharismatics against even genuine charismatics, and of faux calvinists against even genuine arminists.)


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    Ava Aaronson: In another clergy sex violation of women case: Hybels blamed his wife, which is a common defense among clergy. Wifey is inadequate to meet Dear Leader pastor’s “needs”.

    The solution, of course, is for Dear Leader to divorce his wife and legitimately with transparency court another woman who is deemed “adequate”. Instead of pastoral predation of parishioner women or teens or girls (or boys or men).

    Soooo … divorce is a sin but pastoral predation of women and teens is not?! And they get standing ovations for that sort of stinkin’ thinkin’!


  18. Notice: Undefined variable: button in /home/guswo2wr8yyv/public_html/tww2/wp-content/plugins/quote-comments/quote-comments.php on line 127

    Todd Wilhelm: I just checked the court records and it appears Nathan Luong has jumped on the State’s Plea offer quicker than a duck on a June bug. Not surprised at all. The sentence will be a light slap on the wrist. Probably 60 days in the iron bar hotel.

    Soooo … at the first of the year, he can be restored to the ministry! And the beat goes on and on and on.


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    Max: Soooo … divorce is a sin but pastoral predation of women and teens is not?! And they get standing ovations for that sort of stinkin’ thinkin’!

    Yah, well, normally wifey serves as the predator pastor’s human shield.

    With this guy, the new twist is using his chronically ill son as his human shield for his crimes.

    Would you place yourself in the community of this “pastor” and pay his salary?

    The slap on the criminal pastor’s wrist indicates that the DOJ bought into the predator pastor’s gig. The DOJ empathizes with the criminal “pastor”. Boyz club extraordinaire.


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    Max: Soooo … at the first of the year, he can be restored to the ministry!

    “TOUCH NOT MINE ANOINTED!!!!!!!”


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    Ava Aaronson: In another clergy sex violation of women case: Hybels blamed his wife, which is a common defense among clergy. Wifey is inadequate to meet Dear Leader pastor’s “needs”.

    Same reason JFJr went to Pool Boy.
    His Holy Rod was so HUGE it wouldn’t fit into his Cougar Wifey!


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    Max: Soooo … at the first of the year, he can be restored to the ministry!And the beat goes on and on and on.

    The plea deal originated with the prosecution. They must have been swayed by the ill child’s plight, as well as his wife who is likely facing a variant of destitution. All fair on a sense. But this is a population that often reoffends. A nuisance sentence may not stop this behavior in the future.

    You have 5 comments under 4 different handles. This makes you appear to be trying to play games or appear as different people. And gets you moderated. Please pick a handle and stick to it. Thanks. GBTC


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    Ava Aaronson: the DOJ bought into the predator pastor’s gig

    Plus, they put way more emphasis on “pastor” vs. “predator” than I would have.


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    “That sometimes people make decisions knowing there are no right answers.” That was some letter! But this line? Um, I may just be a woman, but those type of decisions are “what restaurant should we go to?” Not “should I abuse someone?” or “should I have sex with a minor?” If everyone doesn’t leave his congregation, then they are getting what they pay for.
    And it is not a deeper relationship with the Lord.


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    JJallday: If everyone doesn’t leave his congregation, then they are getting what they pay for.

    Some churchgoers like pastors who live no differently than they do … who only give lip service to the Lord, but don’t walk the straight and narrow … it makes them feel better about themselves.


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    Max: And they get standing ovations for that sort of stinkin’ thinkin’!

    I wouldn’t applaud those guys for all the coffee beans in Costa Rica.