A former executive pastor at one of Western New York's largest megachurches was sentenced Monday to eight years in prison followed by 10 years of post-release supervision for sexually abusing two children, bringing a quiet and disturbing end to a case that shook the congregation he once helped lead. John Camardo III, 47, of Williamsville, admitted to the abuse after pleading guilty in July to one count of second-degree rape and one count of second-degree course of sexual conduct against a child.
According to Spectrum News, prosecutors say Camardo had sex with a child under the age of 15 between April and June of 2024 in Williamsville, and abused a separate child under the age of 13 at least twice between April 1, 2025, and about June 20, 2026. The Erie County District Attorney's Office says Camardo knew both victims. He served as executive pastor at The Chapel beginning in 2012, a role that placed him at the center of one of the region's largest religious institutions.
A Megachurch Reckons With Its Own Leadership
The Chapel is a non-denominational megachurch based in Getzville with four Western New York campuses — in Getzville, Cheektowaga, Niagara Falls, and Lockport — and a combined congregation of roughly 17,000 members, according to WORLD Magazine. After Camardo's guilty plea, Lead Pastor Jerry Gillis said church overseers placed Camardo on immediate administrative leave once they learned of the allegations, and that the Erie County District Attorney confirmed the crimes were not connected to any church ministry or venue, The Roys Report reported. Camardo resigned from his executive pastor position just days after being placed on leave, per the same outlet.
The betrayal cuts deeper than Camardo's title alone. The Roys Report notes that before his own charges, Camardo had served as an internal advocate and point of contact for victims during a separate sex abuse investigation into a former Chapel youth pastor — a role that led abuse victim advocates to describe his own crimes as a severe breach of trust. Church leaders had previously relied on MinistrySafe to conduct internal reviews of misconduct allegations, the outlet reported.
Youth Soccer Coach Barred From Organization
Camardo's community presence extended well beyond the pulpit. He also worked as a girls' travel soccer coach and referee with the Amherst Soccer Association, which said in a July statement reported by Buffalo Toronto Public Media that it was shocked by the conviction and immediately barred him from all organization activities. The association said it had no prior knowledge of the police investigation until reading media reports.
Both charges Camardo pleaded guilty to are classified as Class D felonies under New York State Penal Law, the station's report notes, reflecting the statutory severity underlying his prison sentence. The underlying acts occurred within the Town of Amherst, according to criminal court filings relayed by prosecutors and reported by SNAP Network, with the Amherst Police Department assisting Erie County prosecutors during the investigation.
Guilty Plea Spared Families a Trial
Camardo's defense attorney, Barry Covert, said in July that his client accepted full responsibility early in the legal process and expressed remorse while seeking to bring closure to the affected families, according to SNAP Network's report. The plea avoided a trial that would have required the minor victims to testify.
Camardo's sentencing had initially been scheduled for September 10 in State Supreme Court but was adjourned to Monday following a procedural request filed by his defense counsel, per the same account. Officials issued orders of protection to both victims Monday, which remain in effect until July 2054. Camardo must also register as a sex offender after his release from prison.
DA Praises Victims, Urges Others to Come Forward
Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Keane commended the two victims whose disclosures were essential to holding Camardo accountable, and encouraged other potential victims and crime victims to contact law enforcement, per Spectrum News. Keane also noted that his office deploys specially trained prosecutors and victim advocates within its Special Victims Unit to support child victims throughout judicial proceedings.
The case is not Camardo's first brush with legal controversy tied to abuse allegations at The Chapel. In June 2021, Camardo and the church were named as co-defendants in a $3.1 million civil defamation lawsuit filed by a former Christian camp director following public disclosures about prior abuse claims, according to MinistryWatch. That lawsuit stemmed from internal oversight disclosures made by church leadership at the time.
