Former pastor Louis Lamonica hopes to clear his name despite police saying that he voluntarily confessed two years ago to committing child rape and performing satanic rituals in the Hosanna Church.

Prosecutors played in trial Monday two different tapes in which Lamonica confessed to Livingston Parish Sheriff’s deputies. Both confessions were made on the same day in 2005.

In the first tape Lamonica describes how he began molesting two boys who were family members and how he continued to do so for several years. That tape was 38 minutes long.

The confessions were graphic, detailing accounts of how he molested two boys. Both were family members.  He detailed how it began, and how it continued over the course of years. And he told of having sexual relations with several other children inside the hosanna church.

The deputy who performed the interview in the first tape contacted the Tangipahoa Sheriff’s Department. A Tangipahoa deputy then went to the Livingston Sheriff’s office, and the two deputies interviewed Lamonica a second time.

Livingston Parish Detective Bonita Sager took the first confession, and was there a few hours later for the second.  At the time of Lamonica's confessions, he was not under investigation by police.

That interview, which was over an hour long, was the second tape presented in the trial. In that tape Lamonica describes cult activity inside the Hosanna church. Lamonica described the ceremonies at the church as a “dedication to Satan,” and he said child molestation was part of the ceremony.

In his confession, Lamonica says he voluntarily came to police for two reasons.  Number one, Lamonica said, the guilt of all of this. Number two, he said, "Because Robin (his wife, Robin Lamonica) is still doing stuff.  She's still in that cult.  I know she is and I believe she is molesting them."

Lamonica said roughly eight adults took part.

Lamonica’s attorney, Michael Thiel, did not disagree in his opening arguments that his client confessed, but said his client was manipulated and forced into making those confessions, which are 260 pages long. He argued that Louis Mowbray, another church member, manipulated and controlled Lamonica into making the confession.

Assistant District Attorney Don Wall said Lamonica confessed because he wanted to make a deal in exchange for what he would tell them about cult activity inside the Hosanna Church, which is now closed.

“Sometimes, ladies and gentlemen, the truth is stranger than fiction," Thiel said in the opening arguments.

His attorney said in opening arguments, Lamonica was manipulated and coerced into his confessions. But in his second confession, he said, "Nobody brain washed nobody."