WINONA, Minn. (AP) - A Winona pastor was placed on leave pending charges that he used his position to have sex with a woman in his congregation who was seeking spiritual guidance.

The Rev. Donald Dean Budd of McKinley United Methodist Church was charged late Monday with 10 counts of third- and fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct for alleged sexual contact with the woman between 2003 and 2005, the Winona County Attorney's Office said.

"I'm going to deny (the charges), of course," said Budd, 62. His attorney, Richmond H. McCluer of Winona, said the charges are based on the statements of a troubled woman.

"The dangerous thing in this kind of case is you have a minister with a 31-year history of working in parishes in this immediate area," McCluer said. "The rush to judgment may well obscure what the final outcome is."

Winona County Attorney Chuck MacLean said the woman first told church leaders about the alleged incidents - then turned to police late last year.