Pastor pleads guilty to soliciting prostitution

Updated: February 4, 2010 - 12:10 PM

resize text
print
buy reprints

Tweet
share

email
Email share

your name

your email

recipients email

+ add a comment add a comment

The former pastor of a church in Prior Lake pleaded guilty Wednesday in Ramsey County District Court to soliciting a prostituted woman.

The Rev. John K. Erbele, 35, was one of 16 men caught in a "john sting" on Sept. 1 after responding to an Internet ad placed by the St. Paul police.

Erbele won't have to serve any jail time for the misdemeanor offense. District Judge Gail Chang Bohr sentenced him to serve probation, get counseling, do community service and attend "john school."

Erbele was pastor of LifePrint Church, which meets in Prior Lake and offers podcasts of sermons on the Internet. He was relieved of his duties in September but kept on the payroll until the end of November, the church's website said.

--PAT PHEIFER