FAYETTE COUNTY — A former youth pastor of a Patoka church pleaded guilty Thursday in Fayette County Court to five of ten felony charges stemming from his involvement in a child pornography ring in Vandalia.

Ferrell Kissiar, a former assistant pastor at the Pentecostal Church in Patoka was sentenced to a total of 30 years in prison after various consecutive sentences were handed down in the plea agreement. He was given credit for 871 days served in the Fayette County Jail, will have to register for life as a sexual predator and was ordered to have no contact with the victims.

The Attorney General’s Office charged Kissiar with 3 counts of Disseminating Child Pornography, 2 counts of Possessing Child Pornography, 1 count of Reproducing Child Pornography, 1 count of Indecent Solicitation of an Adult and 1 count of Conspiracy to commit Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse.

He was arrested in 2021 along with a Vandalia husband and wife, Amber and Andrew Wehrle in connection with the pornography ring and abuse charges. Amber Wehrle was sentenced earlier this year to 13 years in prison after she pleaded guilty to charges in her case, while her husband was sentenced to 26 years in prison for his guilty plea.

The three cases were initially joined together and were slated to be tried together by a Fayette County jury in June. However, the Wehrles pleaded guilty and Kissiar pushed forward toward a jury trial.

Then earlier this month he agreed to the terms of a negotiated plea and waived his right to a jury trial.