A former pastor at Zion Lutheran Church in Cornersburg could face up to 60 years in prison if convicted for allegedly raping a female member of his congregation.
Authorities tell us Dale Giffin began having sexual relations with the alleged victim when she was just 15 years old. However, the charges involve incidents that reportedly occurred when she was even younger.
Assistant Mahoning County Prosecutor Dawn Cantalamessa says the alleged victim "thought of [Giffin] as a father figure. It's this authority figure force we're gonna try to prove."
Giffin is expected to appear in court next week. He resigned as pastor back in November.
