Christian School Principal Gets 12 Years For Child Sex

The Vermilion County First reports:

Former First Baptist Church of Danville School Principal and Church Deacon Robert Lazzell has been sentenced to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to Criminal Sexual Assault against former student Michael Young.

The sentence was handed down by Judge Derek J. Girton Tuesday morning, after a sentencing hearing in front of a standing room crowd. Speakers included Michael Young, and his mother and grandmother; all calling for the maximum sentence of 15 years.

Young, now 26, stated that the grooming, abuse, and sexual assault, and threats and bribery and efforts to isolate him from his family all began when he was an 8th grader; and that the harassment of him by Lazzell continued when he went away to college in Florida.

Champaign’s CBS affiliate reports:

“I am angry that it went on for so long, angry that he did that to my son,” said Lisa Young. She says she adopted her son Michael and his sister Leanna in 2002 to protect them from their past sexual abuse as children.

Her son was being sexually abused again, this time it was her boss. Lisa was a teacher at First Baptist Christian School in Danville, Robert Lazzell was the principal.

“He would drive by our house at night, drive by the alleyway,” said Lisa. Her mom instinct was telling her something was wrong. “But I couldn’t prove it and I looked at Michael’s phone it didn’t show, come to find out, he had given Michael a different phone,” said Lisa.