Schaap's memorandum is in sharp contrast with earlier comments he was pleading guilty to spare his victim the trauma of a public trial and that he should be blamed for the crime, not others.

Schaap, a married man with two children, was pastor of a church that had the loyalty of 15,000 members. The victim's parents told the court they believed their daughter was safe going to the church and its schools, which she had done since kindergarten.

The father is quoted in a court document stating, "The rule of our house was that the pastor was God's representative on Earth. Always do what the pastor says."

The government stated the girl was referred to Schaap by a school administrator after she had trouble coping with a troubled relationship with a younger man.

The girl wrote in her victim impact statement, "I was raised by my parents and teachers to trust and obey my pastor. He was a celebrity to me, a father figure and a man of God. As my pastor, I sought guidance and counseling from (Schaap) when I was in need of help."

Federal authorities said their private counseling sessions increased in number, length and intimacy.