Former Kane'ohe minister Manuel "Memo" Taboada was sentenced to up to 10 years in prison yesterday for sexually molesting an underage female member of his church over a period of years.

Taboada "is a very smooth operator, a scam artist and a sexual predator," Deputy Prosecutor Thalia Murphy told Circuit Judge Richard Pollock.

When the victim, now 22, told others what Taboada had done to her, "the defendant tried to quote scripture to justify what he had done," Murphy said.

Taboada declined to speak at the sentencing. Defense lawyer Michael Green said the relationship between Taboada and the victim developed over a number of years and was not always sexual in nature.

The sex assaults "never should have happened," Green said.

Pollock followed the terms of a plea agreement reached in the case, ordering Taboada to serve as much as 10 years behind bars.

Taboada, 57, "flagrantly took advantage of a position of trust," Pollock said.

The Hawai'i Paroling Authority will determine how long Taboada must be incarcerated before he is eligible for parole.

As part of the plea deal, prosecutors will ask that Taboada serve at least six years in prison before being considered for parole.

Taboada originally was charged with four counts each of first-degree and second-degree sexual assault, carrying a maximum 20-year prison term.

He pleaded guilty to eight counts of second-degree sexual assault.

A naturalized citizen originally from Peru, Taboada came to Hawai'i from Oregon with religious followers in 1999 and established a ministry called "Back to the Cross" in Kane'ohe.

His victim and her mother were among the church members who followed Taboada here from the Pacific Northwest. He began molesting her when she was 11 or 12 years old, according to court records.

The victim attended yesterday's hearing but chose not to address the court.

She "will have to live with the defendant's crimes for the rest of her life," Murphy said.

Taboada is a father of five whose wife and children have moved to the Mainland, according to Green.

Murphy said Taboada also is under investigation in Portland, Ore., in connection with similar sex offenses but has not been charged with a crime.

"I would consider this ministry cultlike," Murphy said outside court.

Green denied that allegation, saying Taboada "never dominated anyone psychologically."

Vickia Koutroupas, who said she participated in Bible studies at Taboada's church and is friends with former churchgoers, attended the sentencing hearing and said she considered the religious group a cult.

"He used the name of God to perpetuate evil," Koutroupas said.

Last year, Koutroupas sued Taboada in Small Claims Court and won a $3,500 judgment for donations she had given to the church but which she claimed he had kept for his own use. Yesterday, she said she has collected no money from him.