A former youth pastor at a Pocomoke City church has been sentenced to spend more than three decades in prison after he was convicted of multiple counts of sex abuse.

The Worcester County State's Attorney's Office said Rodney Harmon Jr. of Stockton was sentenced Friday to 75 years incarceration with all but 37 years suspended. He will also be required to register for life as a sex offender.

In February 2019, prosecutors said the 34-year-old was convicted of three counts of sexual abuse of a minor and one count of displaying an obscene item to a minor.

The charges stem from a child abuse complaint reported to the Worcester County Sheriff's Office in August 2018. The subsequent investigation by the Worcester County Child Advocacy Center and Child Protective Services revealed Harmon sexually abused multiple children while serving as youth pastor at a Pocomoke City church, according to prosecutors.

“I am proud that the collaborative efforts of all agencies involved allowed the State to argue for and obtain a sentence above the Maryland sentencing guidelines as a result of these heinous offenses, which were committed against the most vulnerable in our community," State's Attorney Kris Heiser said in a news release.

The Worcester County Child Advocacy Center, also known as the Cricket Center, is a multidisciplinary team made up of law enforcement officers, child protective service personnel, prosecutors, advocates, mental health therapists and medical personnel. To learn more about its mission, or to report suspected child abuse, call 410-641-0097.

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