A Tennessee pastor who spent years traveling across the country as part of his ministry will spend the rest of his life behind bars after a Rutherford County jury convicted him of multiple child sex crimes.
Benjamin Garlick, 35, was found guilty Monday following a two-week trial in Rutherford County. Prosecutors accused the traveling minister of sexually abusing children, including a child who was just 5 years old when authorities first received allegations of abuse.
Garlick was convicted of seven counts of aggravated rape of a child, six counts of aggravated sexual battery, one count of soliciting sexual exploitation of a minor and two counts of violating the Child Protection Act.
Circuit Court Judge Barry Tidwell sentenced Garlick to life in prison without the possibility of parole on the aggravated rape convictions. He is scheduled to return to court for sentencing on his remaining convictions.
Garlick’s wife, Shaantal Garlick, 32, was also convicted in connection with the case. The jury found her guilty of two counts of facilitating aggravated rape of a child and two counts of aggravated child neglect. Her sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 10.
The Murfreesboro Police Department’s Special Victims Unit began investigating Benjamin Garlick in August 2023 after receiving allegations involving the sexual abuse of a child who was 5 years old at the time.
Investigators said the abuse had occurred over a period of several years. As the investigation continued, detectives identified two additional victims.
In April 2024, police publicly appealed to potential additional victims to come forward. Authorities specifically encouraged people in the Hispanic community to contact investigators because of Garlick’s extensive work within Spanish-speaking communities.
Police said Garlick and his wife had traveled throughout the country while he worked as a traveling minister, with his ministry primarily focused on the Hispanic community.
Ministry Took Garlick Across the Country
Before his arrest, Garlick was connected to La Espada, a Murfreesboro-based ministry serving Spanish-speaking communities.
Earlier reporting described Garlick as an evangelist who traveled throughout the country and organized religious conferences. His ministry connections reportedly extended beyond Tennessee, allowing him to speak at churches and events in different states.
That nationwide travel became an important part of the police investigation as authorities sought to determine whether there could be additional victims.
In 2024, Murfreesboro police specifically asked anyone who believed they may have been victimized by Garlick to contact investigators.
Shaantal Garlick faced criminal charges alongside her husband throughout the investigation.
According to police, she was reindicted after investigators expanded the case. Her charges ultimately included two counts of facilitating aggravated rape of a child and two counts of aggravated child neglect.
She had previously been released on bond but was taken back into custody following the jury’s verdict.
Benjamin Garlick remains in the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center while he awaits sentencing on his remaining convictions. Shaantal Garlick is also being held at the county jail following the verdict.
Case Drew Attention From Authorities
The investigation involved the Murfreesboro Police Department’s Special Victims Unit and other agencies involved in protecting children and investigating allegations of sexual abuse.
Police’s decision to publicly ask for additional victims to come forward underscored concerns that Garlick’s extensive travel and ministry work may have given him access to children and families outside the immediate Murfreesboro area.
Authorities have not indicated that every person who may have had contact with Garlick was a victim, and allegations against any additional individuals would require separate investigation and evidence.
For the victims who testified during the trial, however, the verdict represents the conclusion of a case that began with allegations reported to police in 2023.
Prosecutors praised the victims for their courage in coming forward and participating in the legal process.
Garlick’s life-without-parole sentence means he will remain incarcerated for the rest of his life as a result of the aggravated child rape convictions. His remaining convictions and Shaantal Garlick’s convictions will be addressed during the scheduled November sentencing hearing.
The case remains one of the more significant child-sex-crime prosecutions to come before Rutherford County courts, particularly because of the defendant’s previous role as a traveling minister and the police investigation into whether there were additional victims.
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