Jeremy Shane Hall, former pastor of Christ Church of New Beginnings in Sisters, was convicted Friday of sexually abusing a 13-year-old parishioner. Hall, of Sisters, faces a minimum sentence of six years and three months in prison.

The former pastor of a Sisters church was found guilty Friday of sexually abusing a 13-year-old former congregant and now faces a minimum sentence of six years and three months in prison.

After an eight-day trial, a jury found Jeremy Shane Hall, 35, guilty of five counts of first-degree sex abuse and one count of unlawful sexual penetration, said Deschutes County District Attorney Mike Dugan.

The 12-person jury, which had four women and eight men, came back just before 5 p.m. and voted 11-1 to convict on each count, Deschutes County Deputy District Attorney Victoria Roe said. Roe tried the case against Hall and declined to comment on the verdict Friday.

Hall’s lawyer, John Halpern, of Eugene, asked Judge Michael Sullivan to let his client remain out on bail, Roe said, but that request was denied and Hall was taken to jail.

Halpern declined to comment on the verdict Friday.

Both of the girl’s parents said they feel badly that Hall’s two children will lose their father. The family was relieved, they said, and thankful to the Sisters community for supporting them through the trial.

The Bulletin does not usually identify minors who are victims of sex offenses or their family members.

Hall will be held without bail until he is sentenced.

He was arrested after the girl reported to police that Hall had fondled her while she was baby-sitting his daughter at his Sisters home in September 2005.

At the time, he was serving as pastor for Christ Church of New Beginnings, which met weekly at Sisters Elementary School.

At Hall’s trial, Halpern argued that the girl, her parents and the prosecution’s expert witnesses were not credible.

Hall and his young daughter both testified that he was innocent and that nothing happened between him and the teen.

But two doctors testified that the girl had been sexually abused and several other witnesses said her story about Hall’s advances was consistent.

The teen testified that Hall touched her inappropriately as she sat in his kitchen and again in his living room. She said Hall had come home from a night out and appeared drunk.

The girl also said that, after she and Hall’s daughter went to sleep in his bed, he lay down with them and touched her again.

Hall admitted on the stand that he had gotten into bed with the girls but denied touching the teen.

In addition to the criminal charges relating to the 13-year-old girl, Hall also has been charged with stalking, menacing and telephonic harassment of a former adult female parishioner in an unrelated case.

Kelli Jensen, 28, told The Bulletin in an earlier interview that Hall first approached her in September 2005 and made inappropriate comments about their relationship.

Jensen, who was married at the time, said Hall made advances toward her and continued to contact her after she asked him not to.

After Hall left her 10 messages in a single night, she and her husband decided to call the Sheriff’s Office, Jensen said.

That case is set for trial March 6.

The sex abuse and unlawful sexual penetration charges against Hall are Measure 11 offenses, meaning they carry a mandatory minimum sentence. Inmates sentenced under the measure are not eligible for early release.

Hall’s sentencing hearing is set for Feb. 20, Roe said.