Humboldt pastor convicted of child molestation

EUREKA — A former youth pastor and teacher's aide is facing four life sentences after he was convicted in a Humboldt County court of child molestation and possession of child pornography.

Twenty-six-year-old Andrew Belant was found guilty Monday of more than a dozen charges. Authorities say he abused four boys, aged nine through 13, between January 2007 and March 2008.

At the trial, the boys testified the abuse began with inappropriate touching.

Belant denied abusing at least one of the boys and said he did not recall taking pornographic photos of boys found on hard drives in his possession.

Belant was a teacher's aide at Jacoby Creek Elementary School and a middle school ministry director at a Eureka church when he was arrested in March 2008.

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Information from: Times-Standard, http://www.times-standard.com