UPDATED::Pastor, founder of Creation Festival charged with sexual assault of minors | PennLive.com

UPDATE::  Harry Thomas, former Medford pastor, loses bid to withdraw guilty plea

A 76-year-old pastor imprisoned for sexually abusing girls has lost another bid to withdraw his guilty plea.

Harry Thomas, who formerly led Come Alive Church in Medford, is serving an 18-year term after admitting in court to crimes against five young victims.

But in arguments before an appeals court, Thomas contended his plea was invalid because his testimony had not established an adequate factual basis for four charges against him.

UPDATE::  Ex-pastor will serve 18 years for sexual assaults of minors

The 75-year-old pastor and founder of a Medford church and the country's largest Christian rock festival was sentenced to 18 years in prison Friday after sexually assaulting four minors and having "inappropriate interaction" with another over a 16-year period.

Harry Thomas was the pastor of Come Alive Church in Medford and the co-founder of the Creation Festival, perhaps the largest Christian music festival in the country.

Thomas pleaded guilty in February to one count of first-degree aggravated sexual assault, three counts of second-degree sexual assault and one count of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child.

UPDATE::  Medford Township Pastor Pleaded Guilty To Sexually Assaulting 5 Juveniles

A pastor at a Medford Township church has pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting five juveniles over a multi-year period ending in 2015.
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Under an agreement with the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, Thomas will be sentenced to up to 20 years in state prison for the crimes, with no parole eligibility.

The New Jersey pastor who co-founded Creation Festival, a Christian music festival held annually in Pennsylvania since 1979, is charged with sexually assaulting minors.

Harry L. Thomas, 74, of Medford Twp., N.J., and pastor of Come Alive Church, is charged with aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child, according to the Burlington County (N.J) Prosecutor's Office.

He is accused of assaulting four minors over a 16-year-period, NJ.com reported. The alleged assaults ended two years ago, according to the prosecutor's office. Authorities said the assaults occurred between 1999 and 2016 in Medford.

Pastor, founder of Creation Festival charged with sexual assault of minors | PennLive.com