UPDATED::Cowboy Way Church pastor arrested » Local News » Cleburne Times-Review, Cleburne, TX

UPDATE::  Former Cowboy Way Church pastor admits molesting 2 teen church members

Days into his trial on charges that he molested a teenage church member more than a decade ago, the former pastor of Cowboy Way Church in Alvarado pleaded guilty Monday to indecency with a child in exchange for seven years’ deferred adjudication probation.

Under the sentence, if Dan William Haby Jr. abides by the terms of his probation, the case will be dismissed with no conviction on his record.

If he violates probation, he can be sentenced to a maximum of 20 years in prison.

Either way, Haby is now required to register as a sex offender for life.

Afterward, the victim, now 31, said Haby’s plea gave him a “freedom that I haven’t had in 16 years.”
,,,
Haby pleaded guilty to two of the six counts of indecency with a child in the indictment. He agreed to pay a $700 fine, get sex offender treatment and counseling, and have no contact with anyone under 17.

Gonzalez also tacked on seven days in Tarrant County Jail.

Haby also “pled in bar” to a second indecency charge involving Thibodeaux. He admitted having inappropriate sexual contact with Thibodeaux when he was younger than 17. But he was not sentenced in that case.

UPDATE:: Accuser testifies in molestation trial of former Cowboy Way Church pastor

The accuser said he continued to return to the church and hang around Haby, not telling anyone what Haby was doing, because he wanted to be part of the ministry and believed he was fulfilling his calling. He testified he didn’t feel he could tell his mother and stepfather because of fear and not wanting to disappoint them.

The longer the sexual contact went on, the man told jurors, he became more confused about why he was allowing a man to touch him in a sexual way. He had always identified himself as a heterosexual male who had always had girlfriends.

“How do you tell your Christian parents that you’re allowing a man to indulge in homosexual acts?” the man said.

The accuser testified that Haby showered him with gifts — clothes, boots, stereo equipment and a tennis racket — and frequently told him of the millions of dollars he would soon have coming in from a connection. Haby promised to pay for his college education and buy him a vehicle, the man testified.

The man acknowledged that the money became part of the lure in spending time with Haby and keeping the secret.

__
Fort Worth police arrested Pastor Dan Haby of the Cowboy Way Church in Alvarado on Friday in Alvarado on two counts of indecency with a child, FWPD Sgt. Raymond Bush confirmed Tuesday morning.

Haby used to live in Fort Worth and the alleged assault occurred between 2000 and 2001 and involved a then 15-year-old male victim, police said. The victim contacted police in June and investigators subsequently obtained two arrest warrants for indecency with a child by sexual contact.

Members of the FWPD Fugitive Unit arrested Haby at his home without incident. He was transported to the Fort Worth Jail and his bonds were set at $30,000. He has since bonded out, police said.

(H/T: Bruce Gerencser)

Cowboy Way Church pastor arrested » Local News » Cleburne Times-Review, Cleburne, TX