Once hailed as a prominent spiritual leader in Detroit, the Rev. Kenneth Flowers has been sentenced to prison for sexually assaulting a teenage boy inside his suburban home.

According to The Christian Post, flowers, the longtime senior pastor of Greater New Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church, received a sentence of four to fifteen years following a plea deal related to a December 2023 incident involving a 17-year-old male victim.

The 64-year-old former pastor pled guilty in April to two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct. The charges stemmed from an encounter that occurred on Dec. 20, 2023, at Flowers’ residence in Farmington Hills, Michigan.

Authorities arrested Flowers the same day of the incident. The original charges filed against him included criminal sexual conduct using force or coercion, and criminal sexual assault with intent to commit penetration.

After further investigation, the charges were amended in October to include more severe allegations, such as first-degree criminal sexual conduct and kidnapping. These were eventually reduced under the plea deal reached earlier this year.

Plea Deal Results in Prison Time and Registry Requirement

In addition to his prison sentence, Flowers must register as a sex offender with the Michigan Sex Offender Registry. This requirement was also part of the negotiated agreement that led to his guilty plea.

Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald commented on the sentencing, saying it ensures accountability for Flowers and justice for the victim. McDonald emphasized that supporting the teenager throughout the legal process was a priority for her office.

“Today’s sentence means that Kenneth Flowers is being held accountable for his actions,” she stated, according to MLive. “Our focus throughout the process was providing a just outcome for the victim.”

From Respected Clergyman to Criminal Defendant

Flowers served as senior pastor at Greater New Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church in Detroit for nearly three decades, beginning in July 1995. During his tenure, he built a reputation as a charismatic and community-oriented church leader.

He was known for championing inclusivity within the congregation. He became the first pastor at the church to ordain and license women as preachers and deacons, breaking traditional norms of leadership within the denomination.

His influence reached beyond the pulpit. Flowers participated in major civil rights and educational causes, including work with the NAACP, the United Negro College Fund, and the Black Pastors of Detroit.

Support in High Places Before Fall From Grace

At one point, Flowers was seen as a rising star in religious and civic circles. U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Damon Keith once praised him publicly, describing him as a “Christian superstar.”

Keith spoke glowingly of the pastor’s leadership and community involvement, noting his succession of respected figures and lasting impact on the city. “Detroit has never been the same since Rev. Ken Flowers came,” Keith said in an earlier interview with the Michigan Chronicle.

Flowers’ appointment to the Detroit Board of Ethics was short-lived, however, after it was discovered he did not reside in the city but in Farmington Hills, disqualifying him from continued service.

Church Removes Ties as Community Reels

In the wake of his arrest and subsequent conviction, Greater New Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church has distanced itself from its former senior pastor. As of Friday, his name no longer appears on the church’s website.

Efforts to reach officials at the church for comment were unsuccessful. The church has not issued any public statement regarding Flowers’ conviction or the future of its leadership.

Flowers’ sentencing closes a legal chapter in a case that shocked many members of the Detroit faith community. Once regarded as a symbol of spiritual strength and civic unity, Flowers’ legacy has now been overshadowed by a criminal conviction involving a minor.