DuPage County Circuit Judge Judge Perry Thompson sentenced Edward E. Greene, 37, of North Carolina, a former youth pastor at Marquette Manor Baptist Church in Downers Grove, to four years in prison, according to a release from the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s office. Thompson pleaded guilty on Feb. 20 to one count of criminal sexual assault.

Prosecutors charged that from April to June 1998, Greene engaged in sexual activity with an underage female parishioner and student at the church, the release said. He faced up to 15 years in prison.

“Mr. Greene took advantage of his position of trust and authority in the worst possible way,” State’s Attorney Joseph Birkett said in the release.  “He took advantage of a young girl who looked up to him just to satisfy his own sexual desires.  He betrayed her trust and he betrayed the trust placed in him by the Marquette Manor Baptist Church.

“Mr. Greene will spend the next few years of his life behind bars. When he exits prison, he will be appropriately branded a convicted and registered sex offender,”  Birkett said.