Norwalk Pastor Arrested For Sexually Assaulting Parishioners


Santa Fe Springs, CA – Police arrested a pastor accused of sexually assaulting parishioners last week and are urging victims to come forward.

Jorge Juan Castro, a pastor at Las Buenas Nuevas Church, allegedly sexually abused, threatened, and intimidated over 20 women between the ages of 18 and 39. Police arrested the 53-year-old at his Norwalk home September 13, according to NBC Los Angeles.

Castro moved to the Los Angeles area from Argentina in 2004 and was an associate and counselor at the church. Detectives said he often visited parishioners at their homes.

“From what we understand, some of the victims went to him for counseling for various reasons, and during that counseling session, he would perform certain acts with them in the name of God,” Sgt. Al Garcia said, “telling them that the acts that he’s performing would help them in their problems, whatever they are having, and would sexually molest them. He took advantage of his position as a pastor.”

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said Castro took advantage of his victims, many of whom are Spanish-speaking immigrants in the United States illegally.

“The suspect allegedly preyed upon the victims’ vulnerability,” the department said. “He did this by invoking fear by threatening to tell the victims if they reported him he would have the victims deported, while additionally threatening to expose the victims to public embarrassment and ridicule.”

An anonymous tipster told police about the alleged abuse in April after more than 20 women told the third-party about the abuse. The tipster said Castro assaulted women from October 2004 until September 2012, according to KABC. Only four victims have come forward so far.

Jorge Juan Castro faces six felony charges of rape, oral copulation, and penetration by a foreign object. A judge set his bail at $2 million.

Earlier this year, police in Virginia arrested pastor Geronimo Aguilar on two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child under 14. The victims are now in their 20s but were underage when the assault happened. Aguilar faces life in prison on seven first-degree felony charges and up to 20 years in prison on three counts of sexual assault of a child.

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