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	Updated: Judge Doubles Bail for Pastor Accused of Rape, Abuse By Maxine Bernstein The Oregonian October 19, 2007 http://blog.oregonlive.com/breakingnews/2007/10/updated_judge_doubles_bail_for.html A Multnomah County judge today doubled bail to $5.8 million after Sergio Alvarizares, a 38-year-old pastor of a Northeast Portland church, pleaded not guilty to 15 sex-related crimes and surrendered his passport. The state unsuccessfully sought to raise bail to $10 million, arguing that Alvarizares is a flight risk, has access to funds and might return to his native country, Guatemala. "We have a person who leads a lavish lifestyle, who's well-experienced in fundraising and has contacts to a number of foreign countries," argued Chris Ramras, Multnomah County deputy district attorney. Instead, the judge doubled the bail, initially set at $2.8 million. Alvarizares faces charges stemming from allegations that he raped or sexually abused six women parishioners between January 2003 and March 2007. Some of the crimes allegedly occurred in his church, Det. Jeff Sharp said. Police interviewed eight women. His church, where his wife also serves as a pastor, is Casa del Padre (House of the Father), now at 1725 N.E. Alberta St. The church has moved several times, starting in Vancouver, then to Northeast 104th Avenue and Sandy Boulevard, and then to Southeast 14th Avenue and Ankeny Street, Sharp said. A Multnomah County grand jury indicted Alvarizares on Oct. 12 on one count of first-degree rape, two counts of first-degree attempted rape, 10 counts of first-degree sexual abuse and two counts of third-degree sexual abuse. He's accused of using his position as pastor to rape one woman in the fall of 2005 and attempting to rape two other women in the winter of 2004. He's accused of compelling those women and four others into sexual contact, trying to kiss them or grope them, according to the indictment released today. Ramras said he was concerned that the pastor had contacts with more than 12,000 congregants around the world, including in India, Cuba and South America, and has heavy fundraising capabilities in those countries. He referred to a December 2003 e-mail that Alvarizares sent to a Vancouver pastor noting his intent to raise $3,000 in Guatemala the following winter. Ramras also said the Ridgefield, Wash., home where Alvarizares was arrested Monday was recently put on the market for just under $1.4 million. "If he were to flee to Guatemala or elsewhere, it would be difficult to extradite him," Ramras said. But Alvarizares's lawyer, Wendell Birkland, argued at the court proceeding that the pastor has no criminal record and was willing to surrender his passport. Birkland called the state's plea for a $10 million bond "excessive, unreasonable and unnecessary." He turned over the pastor's passport to the state. Alvarizares' brother, Victor Alvarizares Jr., appeared in court, but had no comment. The pastor was arrested after a two-week investigation that started when officers responded to a disturbance call at Casa del Padre. That night, eight women called the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office to file complaints against Alvarizares. The complaints were forwarded to investigators in Portland because it's where most of the alleged crimes occurred. Police said all the women are younger than 45 and had contact with Alvarizares through the church.
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