On February 12, in Lee County, Alexander Ryan Blackwelder pled guilty to two counts of sexual battery of a minor by a person in a position of trust or authority.
Blackwelder previously served as a youth minister at East Main Church of Christ in Tupelo.
He was sentenced by Judge John R. White to 30 years on each count.
Blackwelder will be required to serve 10 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections with the remaining time suspended. Blackwelder will not be eligible for parole or early release, and he must complete 5 years of post-release supervision after his release. Blackwelder will also be required to register as a sex offender.
Our office thanks Det. Hal Veal with the Tupelo Police Department as well as Inv. Rachel Clock with the Lee County Sheriff’s Department for their hard work investigating this case.
Assistant District Attorney Megan French prosecuted the case for the state of Mississippi.
