The pastor of a California church has been arrested for allegedly molesting one of his congregants when she was just a teenager, according to authorities and reports.
Victor Manuel Hernandez-Pineda, director of the Iglesia Pentecostes Movimiento De Gloria, was arrested Friday after an investigation was launched on Nov. 9, Richmond police said, according to reports.
The 53-year-old spiritual leader has been arrested on suspicion of three counts of kidnapping and four counts of molesting a girl younger than 14, police said, the Mercury News reported.
Charges are expected to be made official early next week, according to the outlet.
The victim was a member of his church, authorities said.
Karen Cifuentes, now 21, recently told her parents about the sickening acts committed against her by Hernandez-Pineda when she was just 13 years old, ABC 7 San Francisco reported.
“He took me to a hotel near the school and that’s when I told him I didn’t feel safe,” Cifuentes told the station through a translator.
“I felt bad and we shouldn’t have done it, but he made me do it.”
Victor Manuel Hernandez-Pineda was arrested on Friday. ABC7
The priest allegedly convinced her that it was God’s will that they have sex, she also told the station. However, she resisted because of their age difference and because he was married and her pastor, ABC 7 reported.
“It changed my life completely, mentally. I have died. It kills me. I don’t think so, my grades are slipping. I was angry with my parents at home. I act. I couldn’t tell my parents anything and I was always angry,” said Cifuentes, noting that the sexual abuse happened five times in three years.
The priest was accused of molesting the girl when she was 13 years old. ABC7 He refused to comment when approached by a reporter. ABC7
Before his arrest, a station reporter confronted him about the allegations ahead of a Sunday service. She looked stunned and said nothing when reporters mentioned sexual abuse.
Hernandez-Pineda is currently being held on $7 million bail and authorities are investigating if he has more potential victims.
“It’s always upsetting when someone in a position of trust, especially in a church, is accused of a crime, especially one as brutal as this,” said Richmond police Lt. Donald Patchin to NBC Bay Area.
“It is always worrying and unfortunate when we have to investigate this type of crime.”
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
