James Beauchamp of Kentwood, a former parish administrator, has been sentenced to substantial prison time for sexual crimes committed against a teenager. According to FOX 17, Beauchamp received a collective sentence ranging from 3 to 20 years for second-degree criminal sexual conduct and the use of a computer to commit a crime, 3 to 15 years for child sexually abusive activity, and 60 days for providing alcohol to a minor.

Details reveal that the former church employee was arrested on December 1, 2023, following an investigation by the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office (OCSO). As reported by Holland Sentinel, Beauchamp was accused of supplying alcohol to the 17-year-old at a hotel in Grand Haven before committing the assault and taking unauthorized photographs of the minor.

The Diocese of Grand Rapids, with which Beauchamp was affiliated as an employee, responded to the allegations by terminating his employment and notifying authorities. They emphasized, as noted in a statement provided by WOOD TV-8, that the assault "didn’t happen in his parish capacity or on parish time."

Ottawa County Prosecutor's Office informed FOX 17 that Beauchamp pleaded no contest to the charges. He was credited for 284 days he had already served. The impact of his position at the church was not lost on investigators; Captain Jacob Sparks of the OCSO told WOOD TV-8, "His position provided him access to those youth," though it remains unclear if he used his role to target victims.