Alabama high court says no need to review case of pastor sentenced to 1,000 years for sexually abusing boys

Published 5:23 pm Monday, July 12, 2021

The Alabama Supreme Court on Friday declined to review the case of a youth evangelist who was sentenced to more than 1,000 years in prison for sexual offenses against teenage boys.

Justices denied Acton Bowen’s petition without issuing a written opinion. Bowen in 2019 pleaded guilty to 28 counts involving six boys between the ages of 13 and 16. The charges include sexual abuse, sodomy, enticing a child for sex and traveling to meet a child for sexual abuse.

Bowen was a Christian minister who wrote books, ran his own youth ministry and traveled to speak at youth events.

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He was arrested on sex abuse charges in 2018 and authorities say additional victims came forward after he was in jail.

A judge in 2019 sentenced Bowen to more than 1,000 years in prison by giving him the maximum sentence on every count.