He prayed. And he preyed.

The sins Wayne Jones committed may ultimately be between him and his God. But the crimes he committed have landed the pastor an eight-and-a-half year prison sentence.

Jones commanded the pulpit at the United Spiritual Baptist Church in Scarborough. Whilst in that position of trust, he also commanded — extorted — sex from at least three female parishioners.

There was Kool-Aid laced with a noxious substance, for the purpose of knocking out a victim. There was sexual violation under the guise of spiritual healing. There was a sexorcism to expunge evil possession. There was the woman from whom he demanded a house key so that he could drop by for carnal relations whenever in the mood — up to six times a week over an 18-month period, and if she refused Jones threatened to “make me walk the streets like a crazy woman and he would destroy my kids.” He once sliced her breast with a razor blade.

Another woman, in Canada illegally, was threatened with deportation — Jones would report her to immigration officials — after she regained consciousness in the church basement, finding herself clad only in underwear. From this victim, Jones had also wheedled loans (never repaid) to repair his car and purchase ritual unguents in the U.S. When she repeatedly asked to be reimbursed, he declared: “That’s why I f--- you and you can do nothing about it.”

There was also the woman who desperately sought relief from a Montreal psychic who’d refused to return $250,000 left with her for safekeeping, money that had belonged to the woman’s drug-dealing boyfriend. Jones convinced her the psychic had cast a curse on the woman that could only be lifted if she obeyed his instructions, which included 30-35 therapeutic sex sessions.

For years, decades, the women maintained their silence, deeply ashamed. Until one finally came forward, and then another, and then another.

On the witness stand — their identities protected by a publication ban — these women, now in their 60s and 70s, recounted sad stories of exploitation and sexual slavery and monumental breach of faith by their religious leader between 1986 and 1996.

They, and a fourth complainant, had all been righteous ladies, congregants of a niche church where Jones mixed voodoo-hoodoo practices drawn from bits of Obeah (a form of sorcery practiced in the Caribbean) and Orisha (a syncretic religion originally hailing from West Africa that featured lengthy, weakening fasts, naked cleansing baths and grave ashes scooped from open cemetery plots around the city). He posed as the reincarnation of a spirit known as Gorgon and in that guise convinced one of the women into handing over $20,000 worth of jewelry and a car.

Two of the women were sisters, both elevated to the status of “deaconess” within their church before abandoning it.

Jones, 57, insisted it was all consensual sex. He was guilty only of being unfaithful to Wife No. 1 and Wife No. 2.

In the judge-alone trial, Justice Suhail Akhtar last December characterized Jones as a “cunning sexual predator,” finding him guilty of sexually assaulting three of the complainants. He was also convicted of stealing the aforementioned jewelry and aggravated assault for biting and kicking the woman whose breast he’d sliced in an exorcism ritual. Jones was acquitted of an alleged sexual assault against a fourth woman in the mid-’90s because of “inconsistencies in her testimony.” This was the woman who’d sued earlier sued Jones — and won her case — to reclaim $2,000 she’d loaned the bishop for car repairs.

As well, guilty on two counts of administering a noxious substance, two counts of theft and one count of fraud over $5,000.

But the fraud, in organic terms, was massive — the manipulation of faith among vulnerable and gullible parishioners who viewed “Sheppard Wayne” as near-infallible, even as they recognized he was doing them tremendous wrong.

The day of reckoning for Jones came on Thursday, when Akhtar handed down the heavy sentence.

“The peace, harmony and love that Mr. Jones should have been spreading by example through his elevated status was instead replaced by a narcissistic, selfish poison fuelled by his desire for sex and the enjoyment of power and control,” said Akhtar in his decision.

The Crown had sought a 12-year sentence. But eight and a half years is still pretty stiff for a first-time offender.

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Born and raised in Trinidad — where he fathered four children, beginning at age 19 — Jones emigrated to Canada in 1985 after marrying his first wife and obtained a diploma in social work. (He actually has six children with three different mothers.) His church involvement began at age 9 and by 16 Jones had begun training to be ordained as a pastor. Upon arrival in Canada, he founded several versions of his church.

In formulating the sentence, Akhtar said he took into account several aggravating factors, most crucially “the egregious breach of trust perpetrated by Mr. Jones.

“All three victims were members of Mr. Jones’ church. All three looked to him in a leadership role. X and Y owed their elevation to the position of deaconess to Mr. Jones. B severed her ties with her spiritual mother … and was re-baptized by Mr. Jones … They all believed in him and his power.”

Moreover, noted Akhtar, each victim had gone to Jones looking for help.

“Mr. Jones used his seat of power and authority to enable to sexual assaults,” wrote Akhtar. “His position as pastor allowed him to create a diabolical scheme which B would believe.” B was the woman who handed over money and jewelry and agreed to sex to rid herself of a fictitious curse. “With X he made threat to make her and her family ‘walk the streets’ if she did not comply with his sexual demands. With Y, Mr. Jones used church business to lure her unsuspectingly into locations where he could implement a preplanned sexual attack.”

Further, said Akhtar, the assaults had been backed by all manner of threats and the conspiring of Jones’ wives in the deception.

Jones, who is seeking bail pending an appeal, continues to deny the offences. “Although this is not an aggravating factor,” said Akhtar, “it means that the sentencing discount normally enjoyed by offenders who show remorse is not available in this case. It also speaks unfavourably to Mr. Jones’ prospects for rehabilitation.”

The judge commended the woman for showing “an immense amount of courage for coming forward.”

Said Crown Attorney Cara Sweeney: “Today was the day these victims chose freedom, chose to speak the unspeakable because it doesn’t matter if it’s been 24 hours or 24 years.”

Cursed be the predator.