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STATESVILLE, NC – A former Iredell County teacher will spend the rest of his life in prison. A jury found 65-year-old John Patterson guilty on 173 child sex charges.
After two weeks on trial, the guilty verdict affirms accusations that Patterson molested more than a dozen 10-year-old boys in the 1970s and 1980s.
After the verdict, WCCB talked to some of the victims, who are now men, about the long awaited sentence.
“He won’t be able to do that stuff to any other kids, ever again.”
Those are words from a victim who watched Patterson be handcuffed and taken out of the courtroom.
A jury convicted the former teacher on one count of first degree sex offense and 172 counts of indecent liberties with a child.
The judge sentenced Patterson to life in prison and 260 years, which will run consecutively. In all, 14 former students say they were molested by Patterson while he taught fourth grade at Mount Mourne Elementary School in Mooresville.
Patterson sat emotionless in the courtroom Friday as several former students begged the judge for the maximum sentence.
“I wonder every day, is it because of his actions that I turned out the way I am. He took my innocence, he took my youth, I ask that you take his senior years and put him in jail.”
The victims testified that Patterson would have them sit in his lap and fondle them from behind his desk. They say he made them touch his genitals and touch each other.
“You always wondered if you were the only one. Now we realize we weren’t the only ones.”
The prosecutor says Patterson left behind a trail of broken little boys. A victim’s mother said this in court: “Mr. Patterson has been able to walk the streets in his church clothes while all these men have demons inside that he created by all the horrific things he did to them as 10-year-olds.”
Patterson’s attorney says his client stands by his innocence.
“His faith will carry him through and he hopes the appeals court will overturn these convictions,” said Will Willis.
