JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A former Jacksonville pastor who was arrested in 2022 as part of a yearslong investigation into allegations of sexual and physical abuse of minors at a church spanning over 30 years will avoid prison time, a Duval County judge ruled Thursday.

Paul Dyal, 81, pleaded guilty to an amended charge of contributing to the delinquency or dependency of a child, a third-degree felony, after the state dropped two counts of first-degree capital sexual battery against him.

Dyal was one of three pastors arrested in a 2022 raid at the Jacksonville Assembly of the Body of Christ church on Old Kings Road over accusations of child sexual abuse at the church between 1976 and 2001. Dyal was the church’s founder.

A disposition obtained by First Coast News states that the victim in Dyal’s case had reported the allegations decades prior, but no follow-up was conducted. As renewed allegations came to light, investigators contacted the victim to determine if she would be willing to participate in Dyal’s prosecution. 

“The victim has always been cooperative and told her account with clarity and specificity,” the document states. “However, this renewed contact caused her extreme stress and emotional difficulty as the trauma she experienced in her youth resurfaced.”

Ultimately, the victim asked the State Attorney’s Office to handle Dyal’s case without her participation, and prosecutors reached a negotiated agreement with Dyal.

Dyal was sentenced Thursday to five years’ probation and ordered to have no unsupervised contact with minors. He plans to serve his probation in Georgia if his transfer is approved.

He had previously pleaded not guilty to the sexual battery charges in 2022. 

While the victim did not appear in court Thursday, her words rang out in the courtroom before Dyal’s sentencing in the form of an impact statement.

The statement began: “When I close my eyes, and allow my mind to think back to 1970, 80, 81 (and on), I see the visions of a small, frail, helpless girl. This girl is me. I’m uneasy, worried, angry, hurt but mostly confused.”

It continued: “Confusion became my heartbeat and hurt became my soul. I grew up hearing scripture about being righteous, serving the Lord, being a faithful servant, and taking care of one another. Expect my reality was much different under a very watchful eye. My reality was feeling scared and sick because I knew the punishments disguised as “discipline” potentially waited for me around any corner I turned.”

“My life has been more difficult, painful and tormented well beyond what it should have been. In the end, I overcame. I’ve healed so much, and every day I get stronger because of moments like now,” the statement continued in part.

Dyal, and two other pastors, Vernon Williamson and Jerome Teschendorf, were charged with multiple counts of capital sexual battery in 2022.

They were arrested during a church service in 2022 after a “long-term” investigation that began with a 2020 tip regarding possible child sexual abuse at the church. 

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, at the time, said the investigation had uncovered sexual and physical abuse of minors in the church that had spanned over a period of 30 years.

Eight women claimed they experienced years of abuse as children while attending the church.

The women claimed that girls were groomed and mistreated, and even compared the church to a cult. They added that they experienced “public beatings, abuse and humiliation.”

One woman said Dyal had sexually abused her 20 to 30 times during her childhood. Another woman had claimed she was abused between the ages of five and 14. Another woman said she was seven when she was sexually battered.

Williamson was sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of two counts of capital sexual battery in 2024.

Teschendorf has pleaded not guilty to the charges and has a pretrial hearing scheduled for May 19, court records show.