Story Published:
Sep 28, 2009 at 4:52 PM PDT
Story Updated:
Sep 28, 2009 at 5:01 PM PDT
ANAHEIM -- A 45-year-old Anaheim church pastor was charged Monday with molesting four underage girls whose families participated in his church’s outreach program for struggling congregants.
The alleged crimes date back to 2004, with the most recent attack occurring on June 1, according to court records.
In the most recent case, Jose Rama Campoverde of Anaheim is accused of touching and trying to kiss a 17-year-old girl while he gave her a ride, according to Anaheim police Sgt. Rick Martinez.
He waited for the teen at a bus stop in Anaheim and told her that her mother said he had permission to drive her home, according to Martinez.
Campoverde is the pastor of Ministerio Cristo Vive church, which operates out of a business complex in the 400 block of South Euclid Street. All four of his alleged victims “were his congregants,’’ Martinez said.
The church has a shelter program for congregants struggling with drugs or other problems, the sergeant said.
“He would befriend the families and the victims and eventually touch them inappropriately and in some cases try to kiss them or fondle certain parts of their body,’’ Martinez alleged. “These incidents occurred in his vehicle, at the rehab homes or in the back rooms of the church.’’
Martinez could not immediately provide the ages of the other alleged victims or the circumstances surrounding their cases.
Efforts to reach Campoverde or anyone at the church -- which has no listed telephone number -- were unsuccessful.
Campoverde was booked Sept. 23 on suspicion of lewd conduct with a minor, sexual battery, child annoyance and false imprisonment, Martinez said.
The girl involved in the June 1 alleged assault reported the defendant to police on Sept. 11, Martinez added.
Campoverde made his initial court appearance today on the eight-count complaint, but his arraignment was rescheduled for Oct. 13.
He is charged with one felony count of a lewd or lascivious act with a minor on April 25, 2007; and five felony counts of lewd acts upon a child age 14 or 15 -- on July 10, 2004, June 1, 2008, and March 1 and June 1 of this year; and two misdemeanor counts of annoying or molesting a child under 18 years of age, on March 1 and May 1 of this year.
Anaheim police suspect there may be more alleged victims, Martinez said, and are asking anyone with information to contact Detective Omar Adham at (714) 765-1623.
RSS Feeds 
