Victims testify to being raped, sexually assaulted by pastor

SANDUSKY — Two people, now adults, testified that a former Sandusky pastor molested them at their church when they were children more than a decade ago.The trial for Castalia resident Richard Mick, 58, who previously served as the pastor of Lighthouse Baptist Church, entered its first day of testimony Tuesday in Erie County common pleas court under Judge Tygh Tone. He faces 12 felony charges — two counts of rape and 10 counts of gross sexual imposition — for crimes allegedly committed against three children.The first victim to testify, a woman, said that on separate occasions, Mick forced her to perform oral sex on him and raped her. All of the alleged crimes occurred in or near the church, at its former location on Milan Road.She testified the sexual misconduct occurred between 1999 and 2002, when she was younger than 8 years old. She testified she felt Mick was an authority figure over her, and told a person, not related to her, about the alleged abuse years before police became involved, but nothing was done."I believe I went to (Mick's) office to ask about salvation," she testified, in regards to the alleged oral sex incident. "He, in a way, said that if I would do that I would be forgiven for my sins."The woman's former therapist also testified, stating he diagnosed her with post-traumatic stress disorder.Another victim, a man, testified that Mick inappropriately touched him when he was about 10 years old. The man testified Mick told him he was looking for rashes after he'd urinated himself.The alleged sexual conduct involving the man occurred at the church's current Cleveland Road location.Mick previously had a trial for four of the same 12 charges he faces now. He was convicted in that trial and sentenced to life in prison, but an appeals court overturned the sentence and demanded he have a new trial.This week's trial is being prosecuted by Erie Count chief assistant prosecutor Jeanne Lippert and assistant prosecutor Paulette Lilly. Mick is being defended by Sandusky attorneys K. Ronald Bailey and Meredith O'Brien.The defense questioned both victims on contact they allegedly had with Mick's ex-wife before reporting the alleged sexual assaults.The woman testified Mick's ex-wife called her encouraging her to report the rape, but she said she had already decided she was going to before the phone call. The man stated Mick's ex-wife showed up at his house and spoke to his mother, but he was not there at the time.Testimony in the trial resumes this morning.Visit our Erie County Common Pleas court hub for more storiesReach reporter Brandon Addeo at brandonaddeo@sanduskyregister.com, follow him on Twitter @BrandonAddeo and follow the Register at Facebook.com/SanduskyRegisterRichard Mick, left, speaks with his attorney Meredith O'Brien, right, during his trial Tuesday, July 23, in Erie County common pleas court.