ST. LOUIS — A youth pastor found guilty of sexually abusing a 13-year-old girl from Hazelwood learned his sentence Thursday.
A judge sentenced New York pastor Jeffrey Vargas to 160 months in prison followed by lifetime supervision. He will also pay her more than $140,000 in restitution for lifetime therapy.
Jeffrey Vargas met Molly Rogers when she was 11 at a church camp in Michigan. The abuse started when she was 13. She's now almost 25.
"This was not a boogie man, this was not a stranger, this is someone who was very well trusted," Rogers said.
Molly Rogers knew her sexual abuser Jeffrey Vargas well.
"There was not intimidation in a classical sense early on in this, there was love bombing," she said. "There was complete flattery to the point it felt too good to be true for a lonely child."
Rogers said first he took advantage of her vulnerability. She said by age 13, he'd taken advantage of everything.
"Especially reprehensible was the fact that he held a position of trust as a religious and spiritual leader for a youth group," FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Mark Dargis said Thursday after the sentencing.
Rogers said Vargas took over her life. They constantly texted and called, and she said she even dropped out of high school.
She said he was good at manipulation. He became close to her family and made her abandon friends and religion. The two flew back and forth to visit each other from Hazelwood to his home in New York.
She said telling her family what was going on took enormous courage, but it was beyond worth it.
"When I did have to tell my family, those memories were some of the most painful throughout this entire ordeal, but they're also some of the most valuable," Rogers said.
Years went by before Rogers finally found her voice. Now, she wants to continue to use it to help other children going through any form of abuse.
"The most important thing here today is to protect anyone who may find themselves in the position I was put in," she said.
Rogers said Vargas' damage will last her whole life. But she said she's ready to be remembered not by his actions, but by the bravery of her own words, which she shared in the courtroom during his sentencing.
"This did not start with my action, this doesn't end in my shame," she said. "It is about him and his actions, and so I thought it was fitting for me to read it with him in the room."
Rogers encourages families to have talks with their children about what to do if they or someone they know are ever victims of sexual assault.
Resources for those experiencing domestic violence
If you or someone you know needs help, you can call the Safe Connections Crisis Helpline at 314-531-2003. You can also text that number from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, free of charge.
Alternatives to Living In Violent Environments also has a crisis line at 314-993-2777, and they have a number for Franklin County at 800-941-9144.
The Women's Safe House can be reached 24 hours a day at 314-772-4535.