ROCHESTER – A clergy member who was convicted of transporting a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, was sentenced in federal court to seven years in prison and 20 years supervised release by U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer. The given to Joe Flowers, Jr., 42, of Henrietta, will be served consecutive to a state sentence the defendant is currently serving.

The defendant, a minister, transported a minor from Rochester to Orlando, FL with the intent of engaging in criminal sexual activity. Specifically, in June 2004, Flowers drove a child, who was then younger than 15 years old, to Florida to visit an amusement park. While in Florida, the defendant engaged in sexual activity with the child, in violation of state law.
                       
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.