The pastor of an Anaheim CA church has been arrested on suspicion of molesting three boys and a girl — all congregants whom he met during services, authorities said Wednesday.
Raul Rosas Hernandez, 41, of Anaheim was released from Orange County Jail on $100,000 bail Wednesday. He is facing charges of lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14, officials said.
The children, 8 to 13 years old at the time of the alleged molestation, were members of churches that Hernandez attended or where he was a pastor. Investigators said the incidents occurred over a 16-year period.
"He used the tight-knit community of a church to gain the confidence of the victim's parents and ultimately molested the children," said Jim Amormino, spokesman for the Orange County Sheriff's Department, which made the arrest Tuesday.
Hernandez is suspected of inappropriately touching the children while they were at his former house in Stanton, in his car and at a church, Amormino said.
The allegations surfaced this week when a girl came forward and told a relative, who called police.
Authorities said Hernandez allegedly seduced the girl and a boy, both members of Fe en Accion, or Faith in Action church, in the 600 block of North Anaheim Boulevard in Anaheim, where he has been a pastor for seven years.
Two other boys were allegedly molested while they attended Casa de Oracion, or House of Prayer, in La Habra and Amor de Cristo, or Love of Christ, in Garden Grove.
Hernandez also attended the churches, both of which are now defunct.
In his neighborhood, where his home is decorated with angel figurines, residents described Hernandez as a friendly man who kept to himself.
He could not be reached for comment.
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