Tennessee Pastor Convicted of Child Rape, Wife Guilty of Facilitating Abuse

A 35-year-old Tennessee pastor who conducted evangelical work across multiple states has been sentenced to life without parole after a jury found him guilty of sexually abusing a child. Benjamin Garlick was convicted Monday in Rutherford County Circuit Court on seven counts of aggravated rape of a child, six counts of aggravated sexual battery, one count of solicitation of sexual exploitation of a minor, and two violations of Tennessee’s Child Protection Act. Judge Barry Tidwell imposed a life sentence without possibility of parole on the aggravated rape convictions, with additional sentencing scheduled for November 10.

Garlick’s wife, 32-year-old Shaantal Garlick, was separately convicted of two counts of facilitation of aggravated rape of a child and two counts of aggravated child neglect. Authorities determined she knowingly neglected victims in ways that compromised their health and welfare while assisting in the sexual abuse. She awaits sentencing November 10 and was taken into custody immediately following the verdict after being released on bond during the trial.

The investigation began in August 2023 when the Murfreesboro Police Department’s Special Victims Unit opened a case involving a victim who was only 5 years old at the time. Detectives discovered the abuse had continued over several years and eventually identified two additional victims during their inquiry.

Garlick’s public ministry presented a markedly different image from his criminal conduct. Court records and online archives show he spent years traveling nationally as an evangelist, primarily serving Hispanic communities through a church organization called La Espada based in Murfreesboro. Videos and online content documented his preaching at churches in Florida, Indiana, Minnesota, and Texas, according to local media reports.

La Espada was reportedly founded by Garlick’s grandfather Rolando Garlick, with Benjamin working in the ministry under his late father Daniel Garlick since at least 2015. According to biographical information previously posted on the organization’s website, Benjamin began traveling with his father during childhood and became an evangelist, while Shaantal described her role as supporting the ministry’s evangelical work among Spanish-speaking populations.

The couple was arrested in September 2023. A Rutherford County grand jury reindicted them in March 2024 as the investigation expanded. Law enforcement publicly appealed for additional potential victims to contact authorities, particularly individuals within the Hispanic community.

Detective James Wilkinson, the lead investigator, commended the Child Protective Investigative Team’s efforts in securing convictions. “The children of Rutherford County are safer because of the compassion, dedication, and commitment each member of the CPIT Team brings to their roles every day,” Wilkinson said. Both Benjamin and Shaantal Garlick remain incarcerated at the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center.