Third trial begins for man accused of sexual assault following hung jury, mistrial

Editor's note: This story includes references to allegations of sexual assault of children. Sexual assault resources for victims and their loved ones are available at the bottom of this story.

A former church youth leader is standing trial for the third time this week after being accused of sexually assaulting a child.

Gabriel Geringer, 45, faces charges of sexual assault on a child, a class 4 felony, as well as a pattern of sexual assault on a child, a class 3 felony. The assaults he is alleged to have committed took place in 2010 and 2011 but were reported to the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office in December 2018.

The case has already been subject to two mistrials in September 2021 and July 2022.

The first mistrial was caused by a hung jury. The second mistrial was related to a witness' statement in court that she also was assaulted by Geringer, which caused Geringer's defense to motion for a mistrial on the basis that the statements would unfairly prejudice a jury in favor of Geringer's accuser.

Geringer is accused of initiating a sexual relationship with the then-14-year-old female victim in 2010, which lasted for three years, according to the victim's statements to investigators. Because the victim was a minor, every sexual interaction that allegedly took place prior to her 15th birthday constituted a sexual assault on a child.

In her opening statement to the jury Tuesday, Deputy District Attorney Marguerite Bischoff argued that Geringer, who was a youth leader at a church in Fowler at the time, abused the trust placed in him by the victim and her family to prey on a 14-year-old girl.

"She was 14 years old. She was homeschooled, the daughter of a single mother. He was in his 30s, a leader in their local church, and a farmhand at their family home," Bischoff said.

Bischoff stated Geringer had made the victim feel "special," and described a pattern of gift-giving, taking the victim on trips, teaching her how to drive a pickup truck, confiding in her about fights with his wife and having her sit on his lap to learn to drive a tractor.

Bischoff noted that at one point, Geringer's wife even came to the victim's mother with concerns about the relationship between the two.

"Even in a small town, there are secrets," Bischoff concluded, stating her opinion that after evidence was heard, the jury would have enough evidence to find Geringer guilty.

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Bradley Smith, an attorney representing Geringer, argued that the prosecution was not just alleging a single sexual encounter, but multiple sexual encounters per week for a period of three years.

Smith argued it would be very difficult to hide the alleged sexual relationship from Geringer's own wife, children, the victim's family, and others in the community, all while doing the work of a farmer and youth leader.

"Fowler is a town of around 1,200 people," Smith said. "There are some high schools in Pueblo that are around that population — think about how much gossip flows through them. Now think about that, but as a place where they live their whole life."

Smith also stated that none of the gifts given to the victim were romantic or sexual in nature, and claimed the two had a father-daughter-like relationship.

"This is not something that was underhanded or unknown to anyone," he said.

The trial is scheduled to continue through Friday.

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According to RAINN, the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, a person is sexually assaulted in the United States once every 68 seconds; once every nine minutes, that victim is a child.

To contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline, operated by RAINN, call 800-656-HOPE (4673.)

For more resources for sexual assault survivors and their loved ones, visit rainn.org/national-resources-sexual-assault-survivors-and-their-loved-ones

All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in court. Arrests and charges are merely accusations by law enforcement until, and unless, a suspect is convicted of a crime.

Questions, comments, or story tips? Contact Justin at Jreutterma@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter @jayreutter1.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Third trial begins for former church leader accused of sexual assault on child