By Macollvie Jean-francois
South Florida Sun Sentinel
February 11, 2009
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/sfl-0210-bn-pastorabuse,0,4532727.story
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| Felipe Arroyo |
HOLLYWOOD - A Broward County pastor is accused of fondling two young female church members, including a girl who said he groped her while she was at a movie theater with him and his family, police said today.
Detectives say they are investigating whether Felipe Arroyo, 37, pastor of Church of Christ Gethsemane, may have preyed on other victims.
Arroyo's church until recently operated in Hollywood at 6225 Johnson St. It is now in Davie.
Arroyo, of Hollywood, is being held on $54,000 bond in the Broward County Main Jail in Fort Lauderdale.
He is charged with four counts of touch/strike battery and five counts of lewd and lascivious on a victim less than 16 years old by a person older than 18 years.
One victim told police Arroyo fondled her numerous times in 2007 and 2008 when she was 13, police spokesman Lt. Scott Pardon said.
One of those incidents occurred in December, when Arroyo took her to see a movie, along with some of his family members, police said.
He groped the girl and forced her to touch him throughout the show, according to a police report.
Arroyo later called the child's parents to beg for forgiveness, they told police.
A second victim, now 21, told police Arroyo fondled her more than 50 times when she was 16 and 17, according to the report.
That victim said Arroyo groped her on numerous drives from her home, and once took her to T-Y Park in Hollywood to molest her.
The woman also later discovered Arroyo had molested her younger sister, police said.
Officers are investigating that allegation, and think others in different cities in Broward may have been victimized, Pardon said.
Police ask anyone with information to call Hollywood Detective Chris Christianson at 954-967-4411 or Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477.
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