Middle GA pastor sentenced to 10 years in prison for sexually assaulting minor in Uganda

A former pastor was sentenced to 10 years in prison by a federal judge Wednesday for sexually assaulting a minor while on a mission trip in Uganda.

45-year-old Eric Tuininga, who is originally from Oregon but was living in Milledgeville at the time of his arrest, pleaded guilty to the crime in February. Judge Marc T. Treadwell sentenced Tuininga following a hearing Wednesday afternoon at the federal courthouse in Macon.

Tuininga, who was affiliated with the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, sexually assaulted a 14-year-old while on a mission trip to the Ugandan city of Mbale, according to court documents and testimony. The former pastor met his victim “in his capacity as a religious leader.”

“Eric Tuininga used his trusted position as a pastor to sexually assault a young Ugandan girl in his care. This was a challenging case, but law enforcement worked diligently to ensure that Tuininga did not escape justice for his crime overseas,” said U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia Peter D. Leary in a press release in February.

The crime was first reported to the U.S Embassy in Uganda in June of 2019 and later to Homeland Security after Tuininga had returned to his home in Milledgeville. After authorities questioned Tuininga in an airport before he flew back to Uganda that year, evidence against him was gathered from family members and victims.

During the Wednesday hearing, Tuininga’s defense attorney objected to some of the evidence and requested a sentence of five years.

Though Tuininga’s official charge held a recommended sentence of 87 to 108 months, Treadwell sentenced him to a decade in federal prison after hearing testimony from the victim’s caretaker and some of Tuininga’s family members.

Treadwell also ordered Tuininga to pay $20,000 in restitution.

Tuininga will have to register as a sex offender once he’s released from prison.