A former Lawrence counselor and minister says he is getting counseling himself and straightening out his life, but that wasn’t enough to keep him out of prison for sex-crime convictions.

Garland Hall, 46, was sentenced Wednesday to 42 months in prison for attempted aggravated sodomy and 31 months for attempted sexual battery. Douglas County District Judge Robert Fairchild ordered the sentences served concurrently.

In November, Hall, who once was assistant pastor at Ninth Street Baptist Church, 847 Ohio, pleaded no contest to the charges in a plea agreement. The victim was a 34-year-old man with a history of drinking problems whom Hall had advised and counseled for years. The incidents occurred in February 2001.

Before sentencing, Fairchild noted that Hall had a history of doing good deeds for the community, but the judge also noted testimony that revealed Hall had a pattern of sexual behavior similar to that for which he was convicted.

Hall, who also worked several years as a counselor at Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center, related other incidents of sexual abuse implicating himself during the police investigation last year, Lawrence Det. Jack Cross said.

Hall’s accuser never appeared in court to testify against Hall nor has he attended court hearings, Hall’s attorney, Shelley Bock, said.

“He’s never been here,” Bock said. “It’s as if what happened had no significance.”

Assistant Dist. Atty. Dave Zabel disagreed. He described the victim as devastated and distraught.