A Deschutes County sheriffs deputy leads former Sisters pastor Jeremy Shane Hall from a Deschutes County Circuit Courtroom Tuesday after Judge Michael Sullivan, left, sentenced him to nearly 19 years in prison for sexually abusing a 13-year-old girl. Eugene lawyer John Halpern, right rear, represented Hall.

A judge sentenced a former Sisters pastor Tuesday to nearly 19 years in prison for sexually abusing a teenage congregant, calling him ”nothing more than a smooth-talking predator” who showed no remorse.

Jeremy Shane Hall, 35, had been escorted by Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies into a small courtroom Tuesday morning for his sentencing hearing.

He wore a black suit, the sleeves hanging down over his handcuffed wrists.

When given his chance to speak, Hall initially declined to say anything.

After prodding from Deschutes County Circuit Court Presiding Judge Michael Sullivan, Hall spoke of his own family problems before asking the judge for ”mercy.”

”I will accept whatever happens as God’s will, and I will follow God’s will,” Hall said.

A 12-person jury found him guilty earlier this month of five counts of first-degree sex abuse and one count of unlawful sexual penetration, despite Hall’s testimony that he was innocent.

He faced a minimum sentence of six years and three months in prison for fondling a 13-year-old girl in his Sisters home in September 2005.

But Sullivan gave Hall a significantly longer sentence, saying the circumstances surrounding the abuse were particularly disturbing.

Hall was employed as pastor of Christ Church of New Beginnings, a church that met weekly at Sisters Elementary School, at the time of the abuse.

”I find it troubling that you abused your position of trust, and second, that there seems to be no remorse for your actions and what you put this child and family through,” Sullivan said.

In a letter to the court, the girl asked Sullivan to hold Hall accountable for his actions and said that she questioned God about why this happened to her.

The Bulletin does not generally identify victims of sexual abuse.

Deschutes County Deputy District Attorney Victoria Roe asked Sullivan to hit Hall with the maximum possible sentence of 31 years and three months in prison.

”We are asking for the maximum sentence to be sure that no other victims are left in his wake,” Roe said.

She added that Hall was a danger to the community and in ”extreme denial” about his behavior, refusing to take responsibility for his actions.

Hall hid behind his now 10-year-old daughter, who testified at trial on his behalf, Roe said. Hall’s daughter was home the night he abused his former parishioner, and she later testified that nothing happened.

Eugene lawyer John Halpern, who represents Hall, said that such a lengthy sentence was ”completely disproportionate” and called Roe’s request ”textbook overzealousness.”

His client, Halpern argued, would face a lesser sentence if he had repeatedly raped the girl or attempted to murder her.

”There is some kind of hysteria at this time in our history about sexual offenses that sometimes becomes out of proportion to what is going on,” he said.

Halpern said that Hall had a minimal criminal history, with a drunken driving conviction, and two fish and wildlife violations.

Hall recently married again and has two children, Halpern said.

”I don’t see the purpose of breaking the hearts of his family members just to prove a point,” he said. ”Even under a six-year sentence, his daughter will be almost out of high school when he is released.”

Halpern referred to Oregon’s mandatory minimum sentence of six years and three months for Hall’s conviction.

Under a voter-approved law, certain crimes committed against others carry mandatory minimum sentences with no possibility of early release. That law applies to the crimes Hall committed.

Before Sullivan handed down his sentence, Hall briefly addressed the court.

With his wife crying in the background, Hall told the judge that one of his relatives, too, had been sexually abused by a man in Oklahoma, and the experience sent him in a downward spiral.

”That’s when I started drinking,” he said, choking back tears.

Sullivan responded that he spent a great deal of time over the weekend considering what sentence was appropriate for Hall.

”And, of course I thought about this, and the victim in this case was looking to you to be a friend, looking to you to be a mentor, looking to you to be a spiritual guide …” he said. ”And what she got was someone who betrayed her and took away her innocence.

Sullivan ordered Hall to pay more than $5,700 for the girl’s counseling and medical evaluation, as well as the cost of expert witnesses called by the prosecution at his trial.

Sullivan also ordered him to pay an additional $5,000 to the girl he victimized, a fine allowed under Oregon law.

”I want to emphasize that the court’s decision had a lot to do with you having abused a position of public trust and having used that position to satisfy someone’s perverted desires with a minor,” Sullivan said. ”And showing absolutely no sense of remorse for what has happened here today.”

When Hall is released, he will be required to register as a sex offender each year, according to Sullivan’s order.

After the sentencing, Halpern said that he would appeal Hall’s conviction and asked that his client be released on bail.

Sullivan denied the request.

Halpern then asked if Hall could give his wife a hug before Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies took him away.

Sullivan deferred to the three deputies in the courtroom, two of whom shook their heads ”no.”