A jury in Osceola County has found a Kissimmee pastor guilty of raping a church member who had turned to him for spiritual guidance, ending a closely watched trial centered on assaults prosecutors say took place in 2022. Eddy Noelsaint was convicted on four counts of sexual battery and is now awaiting a sentencing hearing set for September, following emotional testimony from the survivor and months of work by investigators.
According to WKMG ClickOrlando, jurors convicted Noelsaint, 54, on all four counts after hearing that the assaults began after the woman joined his congregation and was assigned a "spiritual godmother." State Attorney Monique Worrell told the outlet, "This verdict represents justice for a survivor who showed tremendous courage in coming forward."
How prosecutors say it happened
Prosecutors told jurors the first assault unfolded in July 2022, when the woman stayed at Noelsaint's home for what she believed would be a spiritual revival. She reported that he gave her tea, followed by pills that left her feeling sick and drowsy before he sexually assaulted her. Months later, she said, he attacked her again after persuading her to return to the house. That account, along with details from the arrest affidavit, surfaced when deputies arrested Noelsaint in 2023, as covered by FOX 35 Orlando.
What's next for the case
Noelsaint is expected to learn his fate at a sentencing hearing in September, and prosecutors say he faces decades in prison, according to WKMG ClickOrlando. After his 2023 arrest, authorities publicly urged anyone with similar experiences involving the pastor to contact investigators, a request highlighted in local reporting and in a notice from the sheriff's office, as noted by The Christian Post.
