PORT ANGELES — The sex trial of a former pastor began before a judge Monday after the man waived his right to a jury trial.
Steven G. Welty is charged with six counts of first degree rape of a child, six counts of first degree child molestation and six counts of incest.
He is accused of sexual intercourse with a relative who was between 4 and 10 years old at the time of the alleged incidents, according to court documents.
Welty — who told authorities he is the former pastor of the Glory House Church in Sequim, which closed about two years ago — moved to the Sequim area 14 years ago from Grays Harbor County.
He also founded the Sequim Community Help Center in 2001.
The trial will continue today beginning at 9 a.m. in Courtroom II at the Clallam County Courthouse, 223 E. Fourth Ave., Port Angeles.
Ann Lund Âwall, the deputy prosecuting attorney on the case, said she had a few more witnesses and four tape-recorded phone conversations.
Taylor said the conversations will be heard in open court.
“I expect to have it wrapped up by lunch,” Lund Âwall said.
John Hayden, who is defending Welty, told the court that he expected to wrap up his case in the afternoon.
“I expect my case will take about the same amount of time,” he said.
Because Welty waived his right to a jury trial, Superior Court Judge Brooke Taylor, who is hearing the case, will decide both the verdict and sentence.
The trial was originally scheduled for four days.
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Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladailynews.com.