Sexual abuse and betrayal in a California church, the case of Pastor Hernandez-Pineda
Pastor Victor Hernandez-Pineda, 53, is currently being held on $10 million bail after being arrested on sexual abuse charges brought against him by four victims, who reported the crimes to authorities. Pleading not guilty to 16 counts, including forcible rape of children under 14 and lewd acts, Hernandez-Pineda is the pastor of Iglesia Pentecostes Momiento De Gloria Church in Richmond, California.
The affair broke out when Pablo Cifuentes, a high-ranking member of the church, discovered that his own daughter Karen had been the victim of the pastor’s abuse. Karen, 21, revealed that Hernandez-Pineda sexually assaulted her multiple times while pretending to be a family member. The attacks, which reportedly lasted three years, have deeply affected Karen, who hopes the pastor will be sentenced to prison.
Another victim, 16-year-old Joseline Alvarez, also reported sexual assault from the pastor, who allegedly touched her inappropriately during a private meeting at church. These revelations caused other worshipers to leave the church and led to a decline in attendance at religious services.
The parents of the victims expressed their shock and anger at these actions, regretting having trusted the pastor and demanding that justice be served. Despite the pain and trauma caused by these abuses, the victims’ families decided not to respond with violence, but instead chose to report the crimes to the authorities so that the pastor would be held accountable for his actions in court.
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