HERNANDO, Miss. — A former youth pastor who admitted to sexually abusing a teenage church member has avoided prison time, instead receiving three years of house arrest and seven years of post-release supervision in a controversial sentencing that sparked public outrage.
Lindsay Whiteside, a former youth pastor at Getwell Church – Hernando, pleaded guilty Monday to one count of sexual battery involving a teenager who attended her church. The case first emerged in November 2024.
While the charge carried a potential 30-year prison sentence, Judge’s ruling allowed Whiteside to leave the DeSoto County Courthouse under supervised release instead — a decision that drew sharp criticism from District Attorney Matthew Barton.
“This sentence is an absolute abomination of justice,” Barton said. “It is everything that’s wrong with the system. People question whether our institutions actually serve justice — and this is why.”
The victim, who was nearly 17 years old at the time, had been mentored and counseled by Whiteside in her church role — a position of trust that prosecutors said she exploited. Whiteside admitted to multiple incidents of sexual contact, though she faced only a single charge.
Members of the victim’s family expressed anger that Whiteside received no prison time. Pam Pegram, speaking on their behalf, said:
“No adult should ever engage in sexual contact with a child. She plotted, planned, deceived, and manipulated so that she could have her way.”
Adding to the controversy, Barton revealed that local educators and even a school board member, Michelle Henley, submitted letters and testimony supporting Whiteside’s character, despite the abuse.
“When you support the abuser, you victimize the victim,” Barton said. “It’s disturbing that a sitting school board member would defend someone who sexually abused a student.”
Before sentencing, the judge acknowledged that “no one would be happy” with the outcome but noted that Whiteside must now register as a child sex offender for life. She will face jail time if she violates any terms of her supervised release or house arrest.
The case has reignited public debate about leniency in sexual abuse sentencing, especially when offenders hold positions of authority or trust within churches and schools.
