A church has been rocked after its pastor has been removed
due to allegations of very serious misconduct in a case involving inappropriate
behaviour with underage girls.
Virginia’s Richmond Outreach Center (ROC) saw the loss of
senior pastor Geronimo Aguilar, who resigned after the allegations surfaced,
creating a gap in leadership that lasted four months. Known as “Pastor G,”
Aguilar was charged with seven felonies in the incident, which allegedly took
place all the way back in 1996, before his church was founded in 2001.
If he is convicted, the pastor may face life in prison. Even
worse, the church found out later about several extramarital affairs that took
place within the church during the pastor’s time in leadership.
“After our former pastor was arrested related to charges in
Texas, the board of directors became aware of his multiple extramarital affairs
with members of our church and community,” the statement said. “This biblically
disqualified him from the office of pastor and leadership of the ROC in any
capacity. The board of directors is committed to providing godly leadership at
all levels of ministry.”
Several women have come forward to accuse the pastor of
sexual assault. One woman said that she was with him when she was 18. The pastor is married with five
children. The woman says that the pastor
took the girl, her sixteen year old sister, and two other young girls to a
timeshare when his wife was out of town.
“He brought us alcohol, we got drunk and the rest is
history,” Baker said. “I had just turned 18. We had sex. It was wrong. Just
because it is not illegal doesn’t mean it is not wrong, and he was my pastor. I
moved to Richmond to serve God.”
The woman also says that the pastor was intimately involved
with both her mother and aunt.
The church has hired two interim pastors to fill the
void. They are now officially searching
for a new spiritual leader.
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