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Florida evangelist gets life for abuse

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Published: Jan. 23, 2013 at 4:27 PM

ORLANDO, Fla., Jan. 23 (UPI) -- A Florida religious evangelist convicted of sexually abusing girls he met through his ministry has been sentenced to life.

Ten of Luis "Tito" Morales' victims testified at his sentencing Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Orlando, the Orlando Sentinel reported. They described the shame they felt after they were molested.

Morales, 58, a former gang member, founded En Fuego for Jesus in his Ormond Beach home. Rebeca Rivera, a "prophet" in the ministry who lives in Hartford, Conn., was convicted with Morales and received a 15-year sentence Tuesday.

On one occasion, prosecutors said during the trial, Morales took several girls to Hartford in a minivan, molesting at least one in the back during the trip. Rivera, who was traveling with them, instructed the girls to allow the "apostle" to have sex with them.

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