John Camardo III, a former executive pastor at The Chapel in Western New York, has been sentenced to eight years in prison for child sex crimes involving two victims, according to ChurchLeaders. The former church leader and girls travel soccer coach will also face 10 years of supervision following his release.
Camardo pleaded guilty in July to one count of second-degree rape and one count of second-degree course of sexual conduct against a child. Both victims knew him personally, and protective orders granted to them remain in effect until July 2054.
The case involved accusations that Camardo abused one victim younger than 15 between April and May 2024, and another younger than 13 during a separate period beginning in April 2025. His sentencing follows his removal from both his church position and his coaching role after his arrest.
The Chapel, a multisite megachurch serving Western New York, previously stated that neither victim was connected to the congregation. In its response to the arrest, the church expressed sorrow over the harm caused by someone who had represented its ministry.
"We are just so sorry for how the sinful actions of someone who represented our church impacts all of you," the church said. "And we are devastated alongside you."
Camardo's positions in ministry and youth sports form a troubling part of the case's public significance. He held roles associated with leadership and trust, although the supplied report does not establish that either role provided access to the victims or that the offenses occurred during church or soccer activities.
Following the sentencing, Erie County District Attorney Mike Keane credited the victims' disclosures with making accountability possible. He commended their courage and acknowledged the difficulty survivors of sexual abuse can face when reporting what happened to them.
Keane also encouraged anyone who may have been victimized by Camardo to contact law enforcement. That appeal leaves an avenue open for additional reports; it does not establish that authorities have identified further victims.
The sentence places Camardo in prison following his guilty pleas, while the protective orders extend for decades. At the center of the prosecution were two victims whose willingness to disclose the abuse, the district attorney emphasized, was essential to securing justice.
