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Category Archives: Churches and Religion

The O.C. Board of Supervisors declares churches to be essential

Posted on by Posted in Churches and Religion, Michelle Steel, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Today, The Orange County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved Chairwoman Michelle Steel’s resolution declaring houses of worship of all faiths as essential in Orange County. A large number of Orange County residents rely on their houses of worship for spiritual guidance in their lives and communion with those that share their faith. Yet while many businesses have been deemed essential by the state, faith communities have not. This resolution confirms that the Orange County Board of Supervisors stands with Orange County residents of all faiths in support of their First Amendment rights, and that these rights are non-negotiable.

“I believe this resolution is very important,” added Chairwoman Steel. “We begin each of our meetings with an invocation because we understand the importance of joining together in prayer. Orange County residents have gone without communal prayer for Easter, Passover and Ramadan, and our residents of all different faiths have missed their regular communal prayers for more than two months. This resolution is a statement that Orange County supports the right of our residents to practice their faith, and that we believe that right is essential.”

First elected to the Orange County Board of Supervisors in 2014, Michelle Steel represents the residents of the Second District, which includes, Costa Mesa, Cypress, Huntington Beach, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Newport Beach, Seal Beach, Stanton, the unincorporated area of Rossmoor, and portions of Buena Park and Fountain Valley. Steel, a successful businesswoman and renowned taxpayer advocate, previously served as Vice Chair of the State Board of Equalization where she represented more than eight million people in Southern California, including all of Orange County, as one of the state’s 12 constitutional officers.

California now allowing churches and retail stores to reopen

Posted on by Posted in Business, California, Churches and Religion, Disease, Emergencies, Health and Medical, Public Safety, Santa Ana Leave a comment

SACRAMENTO – The California Department of Public Health today announced the statewide reopening of places of worship for religious services and in-store retail shopping. Modifications are required to keep Californians safe and limit the spread of COVID-19. Subject to approval by county public health departments, all retail stores can reopen for in-store shopping under previously issued guidelines. Under new guidance, places of worship can hold religious services and funerals that limit attendance to 25% of a building’s capacity – or up to 100 attendees, whichever is lower – upon approval by the county department of public health.

While the vast majority of large gatherings remain prohibited under the state’s stay-at-home order, the Department of Public Health has released guidelines for in-person protests and events designed for political expression. The guidance limits attendance to 25% of an area’s maximum occupancy – or up to 100 attendees.

“Together, our actions have helped bend the curve and reduce infections in our state. As sectors continue to open with changes that aim to lower risk, remember that COVID-19 is still present in our communities,” said Dr. Sonia Angell, State Public Health Officer and Director of the California Department of Public Health. “As more of us may be leaving our homes, keeping physical distance, wearing face coverings in public, and washing your hands frequently are more important than ever to help protect yourself and those around you.”

The new (PDF) guidance for religious services and cultural ceremonies encourages organizations to continue online services and activities, including to protect individuals who are most at risk for more severe COVID-19, including older adults and people with specific medical conditions.

To reopen for religious services and funerals, places of worship must:

  • Establish and implement a COVID-19 prevention plan for every location, train staff on the plan, and regularly evaluate workplaces for compliance.
  • Train employees and volunteers on COVID-19, including how to prevent it from spreading and which underlying health conditions may make individuals more susceptible to contracting the virus.
  • Implement cleaning and disinfecting protocols.
  • Set physical distancing guidelines.
  • Recommend that staff and guests wear cloth face coverings, and screen staff for temperature and symptoms at the beginning of their shifts.
  • Set parameters around or consider eliminating singing and group recitations. These activities dramatically increase the risk of COVID-19 transmission. For this reason, congregants engaging in singing, particularly in the choir, and group recitation should wear face coverings at all times and when possible, these activities should be conducted outside with greater than 6-foot distancing.

The existing (PDF) guidance for retailers, previously allowed for counties approved to advance in the reopening process, now applies statewide. Retail can now open for in-store shopping statewide. The guidelines help reduce the risk for workers and customers. Retail does not include personal services such as hair salons, nail salons and barbershops.

In 21 days, the Department of Public Health, in consultation with local departments of public health, will review and assess the impact of the religious services guidelines and provide further direction as part of a phased-in restoration of activities. This 21-day interval accounts for seven days for religious communities to prepare and reopen in addition to a 14-day incubation period of COVID-19.

More information about the state’s COVID-19 guidance is on the California Department of Public Health’s Guidance web page.

More information about reopening California and what individuals can do to prevent the spread of COVID-19, visit Coronavirus (COVID-19) in California.

Additional Resources

Cal/OSHA General Guidelines on Protecting Workers from COVID-19

CDC Guidance for Communities of Faith

CDC Guidance for Businesses and Employers

Los Condados de Todo el Estado Pueden Reabrir Lugares de Culto para Servicios Religiosos y Tiendas Minoristas

Modificaciones requeridas para proteger a los Californianos contra COVID-19

Los lugares de culto deberían limitar la asistencia al 25% de la capacidad total o un máximo de 100 asistentes

Guía de tiendas minoristas para compras en la tienda, ya en el lugar para ciertos condados, ahora se aplica en todo el estado

 SACRAMENTO – El Departamento de Salud Pública de California anunció hoy la reapertura en todo el estado de los lugares de culto para servicios religiosos y compras minoristas en las tiendas. Se requieren modificaciones para mantener a los Californianos seguros y limitar la propagación de COVID-19. Sujeto a la aprobación de los departamentos de salud pública del condado, todas las tiendas minoristas pueden reabrir sus compras en las tiendas según las pautas emitidas anteriormente. Bajo una nueva guía, los lugares de culto pueden celebrar servicios religiosos y funerales que limitan la asistencia al 25% de la capacidad de un edificio, o hasta 100 asistentes, lo que sea menor, previa aprobación del departamento de salud pública del condado.
 
Si bien la gran mayoría de las grandes reuniones siguen prohibidas bajo la orden estatal de quedarse en casa, el Departamento de Salud Pública ha publicado pautas para protestas en persona y eventos diseñados para la expresión política. La guía limita la asistencia al 25% de la ocupación máxima de un área, o hasta 100 asistentes.
 
“Juntos, nuestras acciones han ayudado a doblar la curva y reducir las infecciones en nuestro estado. A medida que los sectores continúan abriéndose con cambios que apuntan a reducir el riesgo, recuerde que COVID-19 todavía está presente en nuestras comunidades,” dijo la Dra. Sonia Angell, Oficial de Salud Pública del Estado y Directora del Departamento de Salud Pública de California. “A medida que más personas salgan de nuestras casas, mantener la distancia física, cubrirse la cara en público y lavarse las manos con frecuencia son más importantes que nunca para ayudarnos a protegernos a nosotros mismos y a quienes nos rodean.”
 
La nueva guía para servicios religiosos y ceremonias culturales (PDF) alienta a las organizaciones a continuar con los servicios y actividades en línea, incluso para proteger a las personas que corren el mayor riesgo de sufrir COVID-19 más grave, incluyendo los adultos mayores y las personas con afecciones médicas.
 
Para reabrir para servicios religiosos y funerales, los lugares de culto deben:

  • Establecer e implementar un plan de prevención COVID-19 para cada ubicación, capacitar al personal en el plan y evaluar periódicamente el cumplimiento de los lugares de trabajo.
  • Entrenar a los empleados y voluntarios sobre COVID-19, incluyendo cómo evitar que se propague y qué condiciones de salud subyacentes pueden hacer que las personas sean más susceptibles a contraer el virus.
  • Implementar protocolos de limpieza y desinfección.
  • Establecer pautas de distanciamiento físico.
  • Recomiende que el personal y los invitados usen mascarillas de tela y que revisen la temperatura y los síntomas del personal al comienzo de sus turnos.
  • Establezca parámetros o considere eliminar el canto y las recitaciones grupales. Estas actividades aumentan dramáticamente el riesgo de transmisión de COVID-19. Por esta razón, las congregaciones que participan en el canto, particularmente en el coro, y la recitación grupal deben usar mascarillas en todo momento y, cuando sea posible, estas actividades deben llevarse a cabo afuera con un distanciamiento mayor de 6 pies.

La guía existente para tiendas minoristas (PDF), previamente permitida para condados aprobados para avanzar en el proceso de reapertura, ahora se aplica en todo el estado. El comercio minorista ahora puede abrir para compras en la tienda en todo el estado. Las pautas ayudan a reducir el riesgo para trabajadores y clientes. El comercio minorista no incluye servicios personales como peluquerías y salones de manicura y pedicura.

En 21 días, el Departamento de Salud Pública, en consulta con los departamentos locales de salud pública, revisará y evaluará el impacto de las pautas de los servicios religiosos y proporcionará más orientación como parte de una restauración gradual de las actividades. Este intervalo de 21 días representa siete días para que las comunidades religiosas se preparen y vuelvan a abrir, además de un período de incubación de 14 días de COVID-19.

Para obtener más información sobre la guía COVID-19 del estado, visite la página web de orientación del Departamento de Salud Pública de California.
Más información sobre la reapertura de California y lo que las personas pueden hacer para prevenir la propagación de COVID-19 está disponible en Coronavirus (COVID-19) en California.

Recursos Adicionales

Cal/OSHA General Guidelines on Protecting Workers from COVID-19

CDC Guidance for Communities of Faith

CDC Guidance for Businesses and Employers

Santa Ana church fire deemed arson and remains under investigation

Posted on by Posted in Churches and Religion, Fires, OCFA, Santa Ana, SAPD Leave a comment

Santa Ana, CA – May 13, 2020 – A four-alarm fire in the City of Santa Ana on Thursday, May 7, deemed arson, remains under investigation by Orange County Fire Authority and Santa Ana Police. Since the abandoned building, a former United Presbyterian church, was known to be frequented by transients, it was determined that a thorough search for any possible victims was needed.

Due to the extensive damage to the three-story building, the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) Type IV Urban Search and Rescue Task Force was deployed to help stabilize the structure and search through the rubble to ensure no one perished in the fire. The highly trained team utilized heavy equipment and rigging to remove large structural members and sections of the floor. During the three days of clearing, OCFA human remains detection canines continued to work the scene, in conjunction with Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD), and the Orange County Sheriff’s Coroner’s office.

Following an exhaustive search, it has been concluded that no one was lost in the fire.

In addition, fortunately, none of the 100 firefighters who battled this blaze in the 100 block of Santa Ana Boulevard that was reported at 2:27 a.m. was injured.

OCFA and SAPD investigators are continuing to work to identify the arson suspect(s) and make an arrest.

A massive fire broke out at the abandoned United Presbyterian Church in DTSA this morning

Posted on by Posted in Churches and Religion, Fires, OCFA, Santa Ana 2 Comments

A massive fire broke out early this morning, just before 3 .a.m. at the abandoned United Presbyterian Church on Santa Ana building at the 100 Block of East Santa Ana Blvd.

The fire started out as a 3 alarm fire but it quickly became a 4 alarm fire with roughly 25 fire units and 100 firefighters on scene, according to the OCFA.

Early reports of an abandoned church with fire through the roof. Immediate upgrade to 3 alarms for additional resources.

The fire was declared knocked down at 4:38 a.m. No injuries to firefighters were reported at that time.

Fire units stayed on the scene for an extended amount of time to conduct overhaul and to begin a fire investigation.

The OCFA reported this afternoon that the burned building was not in use, and it was assessed at $2.2 million. It is a complete loss.

Fire investigators are still on scene and are still conducting their investigation.

Santa Ana City Councilman Phil Bacerra reported on Facebook this morning that the United Presbyterian Church congregation initially met at the home of James McFadden and then subsequently in other church buildings. The building that was destroyed by fire today was dedicated on May 22, 1912. It was just 15 days shy of its 108th birthday.

While the fire was tragic at least now the NIMBYs won’t be able to stop new development from happening at this location.

Victory Outreach will be giving away free groceries on May 2 in Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in Charities, Churches and Religion, Disease, Emergencies, Food, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Victory Outreach is conducting a free grocery distribution event on May 2 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 1932 W. 17th St. in Santa Ana. Bagging food will be from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.

The first 100 cars will receive groceries. Each car must place the number they will get on their dashboard. Please do not line up before 11 a.m. Families will be told to come back.

Victory Outreach is an international, church-oriented Christian ministry called to the task of evangelizing and discipling the hurting people of the world, with the message of hope and plan of Jesus Christ. This call involves a commitment to plant and develop churches and training centers, in strategic cities of the world.

Former Archdiocese of O.C. musician arrested on suspicion of lewd acts with a minor

Posted on by Posted in Churches and Religion, Cochino Alert, Crime, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

SANTA ANA, Ca. (March 13, 2020): Orange County Sheriff’s Department Special Victims Detail investigators arrested a man suspected of committing multiple lewd acts on an underage girl beginning in 2018.

Michael Medeiros, 34, of Lake Forest, was arrested on suspicion of two counts of felony child molestation. Medeiros previously worked for the Archdiocese Orange County and was fired in February 2020 after the church was notified about the allegations.

Medeiros has worked full-time as a musician for the Archdiocese Orange County since 2006 at the following locations: Mission Basilica San Juan Capistrano, Holy Trinity Catholic Church Ladera Ranch, San Francisco Solano Catholic Church Rancho Santa Margarita and Kid Row Rehearsals in Los Angeles. He also attended ministry retreats for Santa Margarita Catholic High School and Junipero Serra High School in San Juan Capistrano and gave private lessons.

Due to Medeiros having continued access and contact with children over the past 14 years, investigators believe there may additional victims.

Medeiros was known to the victim who was under the age of 14 when the molestation occurred.

Please contact the Special Victims Detail at (714) 647-7419 if you have any information. Anonymous information may be provided through Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS.

A man was shot and killed by police at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church this afternoon

Posted on by Posted in Churches and Religion, Crime, Santa Ana, SAPD Leave a comment

On Sunday, March 01, 2020, at approximately 4:15 PM, SAPD Officers responded to a call for service at Jerome Park (2115 West McFadden Avenue) regarding subjects fighting in the parking lot. As officers arrived in the area, a parishioner at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church (1100 South Center Street) flagged down a passing officer and reported a man with a gun inside the church. An officer immediately entered the church and encountered the suspect. At that time, an officer-involved shooting occurred. The adult male suspect ran out of the church. Responding officers located him, down and unresponsive, on Center Street south of McFadden Avenue. Officers recovered a firearm at the scene.

A small group of people was inside the church but services were not in progress at the time of this incident. No other persons were injured.

Orange County Fire Authority paramedics responded and declared the unidentified man deceased at 4: 36 PM. The identity of the decedent is being withheld pending positive identification by the Orange County Coroner’s Division and notification of next of kin.

During the initial police response, reports of a possible second gunman and shots fired prompted officers to cordon off the several buildings on the church campus and conduct a systematic search of the property. Officers did not locate any other suspects or evidence of any other shooting.

The preliminary field investigation confirmed there was no evidence to suggest this incident was intended to be a mass casualty shooting and the Catholic church was not targeted. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office, in conjunction with the Santa Ana Police Department Homicide Section are investigating. Investigators encourage anyone with information regarding this incident to come forward and provide a statement.

Santa Ana Police Department Homicide Section (714) 245-8390.

Voting at a nearby vote center has been suspended due to the shooting.

Santa Ana reaches a settlement with the O.C. Catholic Worker regarding a homeless shelter

Posted on by Posted in Churches and Religion, homeless, Housing, Santa Ana Leave a comment

SANTA ANA, CA -At the Tuesday October 1st City Council Meeting a settlement agreement between Santa Ana and the Orange County Catholic Worker will be presented for final approval. This concludes over a year-long involvement in homeless litigation that the City of Santa Ana intervened in as a defendant.

Under the terms of the settlement the City commits to ensuring a 200 to 250 bed low-barrier shelter operates within the City. The City currently has a temporary 200 bed shelter known as “The Link”, the new required shelter will replace this facility. It is anticipated there will be an overlap time period for which both shelters are operational. The new shelter will operate similar to “The Link” and serve the homeless population with ties to Santa Ana.

A location for the new shelter has not been determined. The City still has an active cross-complaint against that County regarding a replacement for the County operated shelter known as “The Courtyard” and other obligations under a related Memorandum of Understanding.

To view a copy of the Request for Council Action and Settlement Agreement, please visit https://santaana.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=2&event_id=7235&meta_id=99728.

About City of Santa Ana
Santa Ana is downtown for the world famous Orange County, California. As the County Seat, home to a vibrant evening scene and one of the most diverse communities in California, Santa Ana is gaining national attention for its efforts to innovate and address a changing County. Over 1,200 City employees work hard every day to deliver efficient public services in partnership with our community to ensure public safety, a prosperous economic environment, opportunities for our youth, and a high quality of life for residents. Learn more at http://www.santa-ana.org.

The City of Santa Ana is going to get blessed on August 3

Posted on by Posted in Churches and Religion, Civic Affairs, Santa Ana Leave a comment

The City of Santa Ana cordially invites you to participate in the first ever Blessing of the City. To help commemorate the City of Santa Ana’s 150th Anniversary, we are inviting leaders from local interfaith groups to pay tribute to the City’s diversity and endurance.

The event will take place Saturday, August 3, 2019 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (noon), at the steps of the Old Orange County Courthouse, located at 211 W. Santa Ana Blvd., Santa Ana, CA 92701. Formally dedicated in 1901, the Old Orange County Courthouse in Santa Ana is symbolic of the longevity of our great City.

For more information please follow the link below:

https://www.facebook.com/events/404078340465362/

The SAPD has arrested a church vandalism suspect

Posted on by Posted in Churches and Religion, Crime, Santa Ana, SAPD Leave a comment

A suspect has been arrested and charged with vandalizing the Johnson Chapel AME Church located in the 1300 block of West 3rd Street.

Detectives working this case used evidence left at the crime scene by the suspect to identify him as Joel Fabian Sandoval.

His current charges are PC 594(b)(1) Felony Vandalism, PC 594.3(a) Vandalism to a Place of Worship.

The damages are estimated in excess of $2000. During his interview with Detectives, the suspect confessed to the entire crime.

Statements made by the suspect indicated this was not a hate crime, nor was he a member of the congregation.

Detectives, once obtaining the identity of the suspect, found that SAPD Officers had arrested Sandoval on the same day of this incident on an unrelated vandalism charge at a residence in the 1500 block of West McFadden Avenue. During that incident, he randomly damaged a garage door.

  • ORIGINAL MESSAGE –

Suspect Description: Male, Hispanic, 30’s, 5’6”, heavy set, possibly a full beard

Location: Johnson Chapel AME Church – 1300 block of West 3rd Street

On Tuesday, 07/02/2019, at approximately 8:39 am, a male Hispanic suspect, for unknown reasons using a large metal pipe, destroyed the front doors and made entry into the Johnson Chapel AME Church located in the 1300 block of West 3rd Street. After making entry, the suspect continued to damage a set of secondary doors within the church and attempted to cause additional damage to the door frame. Prior to making entry into the church, the suspect attempted to break into a utility shed located to the rear of the church and also damaged an exterior door on the side of the church.

Anyone who may have witnessed this crime or has information on the identity of the suspect is asked to contact Detective S. Lim at (714) 245-8417 or SLim@santa-ana.org

Address/Location

The SAPD is looking for a suspect who vandalized the Johnson Chapel AME Church

Posted on by Posted in Churches and Religion, Crime, Santa Ana, SAPD Leave a comment

On Tuesday, 07/02/2019, at approximately 8:39 am, a male Hispanic suspect, for unknown reasons using a large metal pipe, destroyed the front doors and made entry into the Johnson Chapel AME Church located in the 1300 block of West 3rd Street.

After making entry, the suspect continued to damage a set of secondary doors within the church and attempted to cause additional damage to the door frame. Prior to making entry into the church, the suspect attempted to break into a utility shed located to the rear of the church and also damaged an exterior door on the side of the church.

Suspect Description: Male, Hispanic, 30’s, 5’6”, heavy set, possibly a full beard.

Location: Johnson Chapel AME Church – 1300 block of West 3rd Street.

Anyone who may have witnessed this crime or has information on the identity of the suspect is asked to contact Detective S. Lim at (714) 245-8417 or SLim@santa-ana.org.

Pastor who volunteered at the Fountain Valley police and fire departments charged with 11 counts of child molestation

Posted on by Posted in Churches and Religion, Crime, Fountain Valley, OCDA, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Victims Ranged in Age from Five to 15 Years Old

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A man who served as a head pastor at several Southern California churches faces 11 child molestation charges for victimizing seven children ranging in age from five to 15 years old.

John Rodgers McFarland, 67, of Fullerton was arrested on May 9, 2019. He is charged with seven felony counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a minor under the age of 14, and four felony counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a minor between the ages of 14 and 15.

Prosecutors allege the molestations for the current offenses occurred between 2003 and 2017.

McFarland is currently being held on $2 million bail at the Orange County Jail. He faces a maximum sentence of 179 years to life if convicted on all counts.

McFarland has been the head pastor at Orangethorpe United Methodist Church in Fullerton since 2016. He also served as a volunteer chaplain for the Fountain Valley Police Department and Fountain Valley Fire Department.

McFarland was a pastor at Surf City Church in Huntington Beach between 2011 and 2016, and served as senior pastor at Fountain Valley United Methodist Church for 26 years from 1988 to 2016. He served as a youth pastor at the San Dieguito Methodist Church in Encinitas from 1978 to 1981 and attended Christian Youth Camps during his ministry there. McFarland’s first appointment as senior pastor was at Calexico United Methodist Church in Calexico, where he served from 1981 to 1988.

He is scheduled to be arraigned on May 13, 2019 in Department CJ-1.

Deputy District Attorney Ann Fawaz of the Sexual Assault Unit is prosecuting this case.

Santa Ana church youth leader arrested for sexually assaulting two minor female victims

Posted on by Posted in Anaheim, Churches and Religion, Cochino Alert, Crime, Santa Ana, SAPD 3 Comments

SAPD Detectives Arrest Church Youth Leader For Sexually Assaulting Two Minor Female Victims

Suspect: Jesse Francisco Hernandez Perez (22) Anaheim

Santa Ana Police Special Crimes Detectives arrested Jesse Francisco Hernandez Perez, a 22-year-old resident of Anaheim, for Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child. Perez is a youth leader for the Iglesia De Restauracion church located at 1621 East 17th Street in Santa Ana. Perez has been a member of the church for the past three years and was involved in the church’s music program.


Jesse Francisco Hernandez

An 11-year-old female victim reported that on March 5, 2019, Perez communicated with her during church services and lured her into a restroom where he sexually assaulted her. The victim did not immediately disclose this incident and continued to attend church services with her family.

Detectives learned that Perez sexually assaulted a second victim, a 14-year-old girl from Anaheim, while leading a youth program from his home. That victim reported the incident to the Anaheim Police Department sometime in March 2019.

Santa Ana Police Detectives worked closely with Anaheim Police Detectives throughout this investigation. Santa Ana Police Detectives arrested Perez this morning at his home in Anaheim. Perez was booked at the Orange County Jail on multiple child abuse charges and his bail has been set at $100,000.00.

Santa Ana Police Department Detectives believe there may be additional victims and ask anyone with information to contact Detective Corporal Johanna Perez at 714-245-8351, jperez5@santa-ana.org or Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS.

Serial O.C. sex offender heading to prison for 100 years to life

Posted on by Posted in Anaheim, Churches and Religion, Cochino Alert, Crime, Fullerton, OCDA, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Carlos Antonio Chavez , a 59-year-old Anaheim man, was sentenced on Friday to 100 years to life in prison for molesting two cousins and the sister of one of the boys in and around a Fullerton church, according to the O.C. Register.

Chavez was convicted on Feb. 19 of three felony counts of lewd acts with a child younger than 14, after being given credit for serving 1,130 days in custody.

The Judge in the case, Gary Paer, noted Chavez’ long history of sex offenses before he announced his sentence.

Chavez’ past convictions:

  • He was convicted of molesting a girl at a McDonald’s restroom in 2001 in Orange County. The victim is 21 years-old now.
  • Chavez attempted to solicit an undercover police officer for sex in a public restroom in 2012.
  • Chavez exposed himself to a “young kid” in Santiago Park in Santa Ana, in 1984.

The Judge felt his sentence would serve to keep Chavez away from children.

Chavez molested a girl and her brother at their Church, Iglesia de Dios Pentecostal. They finally told their father about this in 2014, after they had seen Chavez again at their church.

The molestations occurred between 2004 and 2007. The boy said that Chavez offered him candy and chips one day, at church, when the boy was only five years old. They then went to a nearby liquor store to get the snacks and when they returned Chavez took the boy into the bathroom and sexually assaulted him, according to the prosecutor.

As the boy told his father what happened his sister then said that Chavez had touched her too.

As police detectives conducted their investigation they found out that Chavez had also molested a relative of the boy and girl – their cousin. That victim was at first reluctant to cooperate with the police but the by changed his mind a few years later. He told investigators that Chavez molested him when he was 5 years old, at a bathroom at their church. Chavez was pretending to help the boy to get something off a high shelf when the incident happened.

The SAPD arrested a church volunteer believed to have molested several little girls

Posted on by Posted in Churches and Religion, Cochino Alert, Crime, Santa Ana, SAPD 1 Comment

SAPD Detectives Arrest Child Molestation Suspect – Believe There May Be Additional Victims

Suspect: Jesus Heras Garcia (55)

On December 4, 2018, Santa Ana Police investigated child molest allegations involving three sisters that claimed they were sexually molested by Jesus Heras Garcia, 55 years-old, when they were between the ages of seven to eleven years-old. The victims, now in their late teens to mid-twenties, met Garcia through their church. Garcia was a volunteer at the Casa de Vida Church in Corona and a close family friend to the victims. All of the victims said the abuse occurred away from the church.

Special Crimes detectives identified two additional victims that reported being abused by Garcia. In 2010, a 16 year-old girl reported the abuse to the Placentia Police Department. The abuse was reported to have occurred at Garcia’s home.

In 2018, a fifth victim, now 21, said she was sexually abused on multiple occasions when she was about 7 years-old at Garcia’s home in Riverside. Garcia was also a close friend to the victim’s family, which he met through the church.

Santa Ana Police detectives interviewed all five victims and through the investigation, were able to obtain additional incriminating evidence. Jesus Garcia moved to Las Vegas in 2012 and detectives obtained a warrant for his arrest.

Santa Ana Police detectives requested assistance from the U.S. Marshals Sex Offender Predator Apprehension Team in Las Vegas who located and arrested Garcia. Garcia was extradited to California and is being held at the Orange County Jail on $2,000,000.00 bail.

Jesus Garcia volunteered at the church and had access to many potential victims. Detectives have credible information that there are additional victims that have not reported the abuse. Police are asking anyone with information to contact Detective Nick Vega at 714-245-8368, nvega@santa-ana.org or Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS.