A former Grace Seminary  professor will serve three years on home detention and three years on probation for his role in a scandal that also  entangled then-Sheriff Aaron Rovenstine.

Mark Soto, 63, was convicted of two counts of corrupt business influence and one count of intimidation Aug. 8.

Special Judge Stephen Bowers handed down the sentence in Kosciusko Circuit Court Thursday.

On the two counts of corrupt business influence, Bowers sentenced Soto to four years in the Indiana Department of Corrections to run concurrent. On the intimidation charge, Bowers sentenced Soto to two years in IDOC, to run consecutive to the other two counts.  Bowers then suspended the prison term and ordered Soto spend three years on home detention and three years of formal probation.

Bowers ordered Soto to pay restitution of almost $200,000 to the investors of a movie.

Prosecutors say Soto used his credibility and influence to solicit money for a movie about longtime criminal Kevin Bronson’s purported conversion to Christianity.

“He fleeced people out of almost $200,000,” special prosecutor Tami Napier said.

Bronson, Soto and Nate McLaurin, pastor of Christ Covenant Church, formed Young Dragon Enterprises LLC in order to control the funds to be used for the movie.

The movie was never made and investors lost their funds.

Tyler Silveus paid most of the money, a total of $140,000.

McLaurin testified during the trial that he only secured money from Silveus to Soto for Bronson because he feared repercussions from the Aryan Brotherhood.

McLaurin took the stand on Thursday and said it was time for Soto to learn from what he did.

McLaurin said Soto was the gateway to Bronson, and that Soto introduced a dangerous man to the community.

McLaurin said he and other Christian leaders tried to convince Soto to step away from Bronson but he never would.

People were suspicious of Bronson, but Soto kept telling them everything Bronson said was real, McLaurin said.

“When you have someone like Mark, paired with someone like Bronson, it becomes even more dangerous,” McLaurin said.

Soto said he regretted his role in the harm caused to the community.

“I regret not listening to people, I regret letting Kevin use my name and my reputation to do harm. I hope I can rebuild my credibility in the community,” Soto said.

Soto argued he was only motivated by a desire to help Bronson.

Prosecutors argued Soto was looking for a big payoff in ether Bronson’s will or the movie deal.

Soto maintains his innocence and his attorney, Scott Lennox, has indicated that he plans to appeal.

Lennox argued the only thing Soto is guilty of was using poor judgment in staying with Bronson for so long.

Napier said Soto’s words “rang hollow.”

“He is still blaming Bronson,” she said, adding he wasn’t taking responsibly for his actions. “He could of walked away from Bronson at any time.”

Soto became Bronson’s spiritual mentor after Bronson moved to Warsaw shortly after being released from an Arizona prison in 1994.

Bronson had multiple problems with the law, and when he was out of jail he would portray himself as a “redeemed Christian” even as he continued to have run-ins with the law.

Bowers agreed with prosecutors that Soto did not show true remorse.

“You certainly have sorrow over how your name was used in these circumstances,” Bowers  said. “What I hear is remorse in the sense that this has happened to you.”

Given Soto’s long association with Bronson, he should have known Bronson told tall tales, Bowers said.

“You’re too smart for that,”?Bowers said. “You knew Bronson better than anyone. You had an advantage over them.”

Bowers added he thought at some point greed did enter Soto’s mind.

“The crime can not succeed without you,” Bowers said, adding people would have stayed away from Bronson if it weren’t for Soto.

“It’s a staggering amount of money,” Bowers said.

Bowers also pointed to?Soto’s lack of criminal history.

Prior to the sentencing, Bowers denied a motion made by Lennox to vacate the two corrupt business influence convictions.

Lennox argued that since Soto was only convicted of one of the three intimidation charges he originally faced, it can’t be true that Soto committed “a pattern or series” of events.

Special prosecutor Matthew Sarber argued that the law only requires them to prove incidents and not convictions.

Bowers agreed with the state and denied the motion.

Bronson, who pleaded guilty to one count of corrupt business influence in July, is slated to be sentenced later today in Elkhart.