Former Irvine pastor convicted of child rape 40 years later

IRVINE, Ky. (FOX 56) — A former Estill County pastor faces 20 years in prison after being found guilty in a decades-old case.

Attorney General Russell Coleman announced on Friday, March 21, that Samuel McKinney, 60, was convicted of first-degree rape against a child under the age of 12.

The victim reported that McKinney abused her “about once a month” from May 1982 to December 1985 and stopped when she was around 11 years old. She’s 50 now and reported the crime in 2023 after learning McKinney had become a pastor at an Irvine church.

He’s since left the church, the attorney general’s office said.

“In our Commonwealth, there is no statute of limitations for felony charges, which allowed this courageous woman to come forward and report her abuse after all these years,” Coleman said. “Her bravery was critical to putting this criminal behind bars, and we hope her example will encourage others in similar situations to come forward.”

The jury recommended a sentence of 20 years in prison and being required to register as a sex offender. He must serve 85% of his sentence before he’d be eligible for parole.

McKinney will be sentenced on June 3.