June 01, 2005

Pastor accused of child molestation for second time

BAKERSFIELD (CA)
KGET

Posted 05/31/05
BAKERSFIELD - A self-proclaimed pastor who was twice acquitted of child molestation charges has been arrested again in a new case alleging sexual abuse.

Leonard Simental, 43, is back in the downtown jail in lieu of $250,000 bail.

He has been charged with five new felonies.

He was charged in November with molesting a girl who went to the east Bakersfield church where he claimed to be a pastor.

Last month, a jury ruled he was not guilty of that felony, but jurors couldn’t decide whether Simental was guilty of a misdemeanor.

Posted by kshaw at June 1, 2005 05:56 AM