Rutherford County Court Hands Pastor Three Life Terms for Child Rape

A Rutherford County judge sentenced a traveling pastor to three life sentences and 84 years in prison for sexually abusing three girls. Circuit Court Judge Barry Tidwell announced the sentences on November 10. The Rutherford County court clerk confirmed the details of the incarceration.

Benjamin Garlick served as a minister who traveled across the country. He primarily worked with the Hispanic community. The Rutherford County jury convicted him of seven counts of aggravated rape of a child. The jury also found him guilty of six counts of aggravated sexual battery. Additional charges included solicitation of sexual exploitation of a minor and two Child Protection Act violations.

Shaantal Garlick, the defendant's wife, received a 25-year prison sentence. The same jury convicted her of two counts of facilitation of aggravated rape of a child. She also pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated child neglect. The court recorded both sentences during the November 10 proceedings.

Murfreesboro Police initiated an investigation into Benjamin Garlick in August 2023. The probe began after allegations involving a five-year-old child. Detectives subsequently identified two additional victims. The case involved multiple locations due to Garlick's itinerant ministry work.

The sentences mark the conclusion of the criminal trial in Rutherford County. Garlick will serve his time without the possibility of parole. His wife's 25-year term will also be served in state custody. The convictions resolve the charges brought by the Rutherford County District Attorney's office.