Former youth minister who sexually assaulted Ballinger teen is sentenced to prison
John Tufts
SAN ANGELO — Clinton Douglas Brackett walked into a Tom Green County courtroom Wednesday afternoon holding a leather-bound Bible.
Brackett, a former youth pastor, faced four counts of sexual assault of a child after he was indicted by a Runnels County grand jury in May 2018.
Each count against Brackett was a second-degree felony punishable between 2–20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Sitting less than 15 feet away from Brackett and his defense attorney was the victim the 34-year-old sexually assaulted while he was employed at the First Baptist Church of Ballinger in March 2015, court documents state.
At about 2:30 p.m., April 24, 2019, Brackett stood before 119th District Judge Ben Woodward and pleaded guilty to count one of the charges he was indicted against.
In exchange for Brackett's willingness to plead guilty to one count of sexual assault of a child younger than 17, a prosecutor with the Texas Attorney General's Office recommended Brackett receive an eight-year prison sentence.
Woodward accepted the plea agreement, informed the former Texas youth minister he would have to register as a sex offender, and sentenced Brackett to prison.
State of Texas Vs. Clinton Brackett
A traffic stop in Runnels County led to Brackett's arrest.
In September 2017 during a traffic stop by a Texas state trooper, a driver requested to speak with both law enforcement and her parents about a situation she appeared upset about, court records state.
While at the Texas Department of Public Safety office in Ballinger, the girl told her parents and law enforcement that Clinton Douglas Brackett, her youth minister at church, had engaged in sexual intercourse with her on multiple occasions while she was younger than 17, records state.
A subsequent interview revealed the following:
Brackett, who was employed at the First Baptist Church of Ballinger, began an inappropriate relationship with the victim in 2015 on the first Sunday of Spring Break, according to an affidavit.
While Brackett's wife and infant son were out of town, he invited the victim over to watch a movie. Five minutes into the movie, Brackett began to initiate sex, records state.
Despite asking him to stop, Brackett allegedly told the victim, "if she loved him, she would allow him to continue," according to the affidavit.
Investigators were told Brackett had sexual intercourse with the girl more than 20 times in locations ranging from Brackett's bed, his office and the church balcony, records state.
Communication between Brackett and the girl ceased a year after Brackett moved to East Texas to take a job as the director of youth ministries at First United Methodist Church in Lindale.
In October 2017, Texas Rangers arrested Brackett and booked him into Smith County Jail on charges of sexual assault. Brackett was released on $100,000 bond after spending one night in confinement, according to online court records.
Brackett was immediately fired from his position as the director of student ministries with First United Methodist Church, according to KETK, a FOX-affiliated news station in Tyler.
Victim gives tearful impact statement
After Woodward sentence Brackett to prison, his victim was allowed to address the court and give a statement on how the abuse had impacted her life.
"I completely lost respect for myself," the young woman said.
As she struggled through tears, the woman said Brackett's abuse had harmed the relationship with her family, and with God.
"I hope (Brackett) is never in a position to take advantage of underage girls again," she said.
Woodward took a moment to offer the young woman comforting words and reassurance.
"I'm sorry this happened," Woodward said. "You're very brave to be here today. Don't lose your self-respect. You did nothing wrong; this was all on him."
Woodward informed Brackett he would be remanded to the custody of the Runnels County Sheriff until Brackett could be transferred to prison, then Woodward adjourned court.
As a sheriff's deputy placed Brackett into handcuffs and other restraints, a person in the courtroom gallery quietly asked Brackett's victim if she was ready to leave.
"No," said the woman. "I want to watch this."
She sat quietly and observed Brackett as he was placed in chains and led out of the courtroom still clutching his Bible.
More crime: San Angelo child sexually abused for 3 years, claims mother ignored cries for help
Multimedia journalist John Tufts often covers crime and courts news in San Angelo. Have a story you'd like him to follow? Send an email to John.Tufts@GoSanAngelo.com. Submit news tips to News@GoSanAngelo.com.