Inola Pastor Sentenced To 25 Years For Lewd Acts With Minors

A Rogers County judge sentences an Inola pastor to 25 years in prison for molesting young girls during horse riding lessons at his ranch. 

A jury found Roy Shoop guilty in October after a week-and-a-half-long trial and the jury recommended he spend 35 years in prison.

Previous Story: Inola Pastor Charged With Multiple Counts Of Lewd Acts Involving Minors Found Guilty

Prosecutors read victim impact statements on behalf of the victims. They said Roy Shoop ruined years of their lives, ruined their love for riding horses and broke their trust with the Church and God. They say they are scared of Shoop and Shoop’s followers. 

Shoop was the pastor at Cowboy Gatherin' Church in Inola and was arrested in 2020 for inappropriately touching several girls during horse riding lessons at Shoop's ranch, or while the girls stayed at the family's home.

Prosecutors say Shoop has never taken responsibility for his actions, even after he was convicted, but instead said one of the victims is mentally unwell, and the other made these claims just to get attention. 

Prosecutors called the girls heroes for testifying during the trial and facing Shoop after what he did to them. 

They called Shoop a predator who has been hiding behind his position as a pastor and pillar of the community for far too long. 

Shoop’s attorney asked the judge to sentence Shoop to 20 years in prison, and 15 years probation. He said Shoop is a model citizen, a hard worker and has never been in trouble before and the odds of him committing crimes like this again are almost none. 

District Attorney Matt Ballard says he hopes this sentence sends a message that no one is above the law. 

“The sentence was a victory for some young women that came in and told the jury about the worst thing that ever happened to them in their lives. They came in and did that in the face of a group of people who didn’t have all the facts. They had to come in, they had to be brave and it’s a justice verdict for them," said Ballard. 

Rogers County investigators believe there are more victims out there and encourage them to come forward.

Shoop's attorney says he respects the jury’s verdict and judges Sentence and plans to appeal.