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	Ex-Youth Pastor Gets 30 Years for Molesting Girls By Ashley Meeks Las Cruces Sun-News October 27, 2010 http://www.lcsun-news.com/las_cruces-news/ci_16444309 LAS CRUCES - A former youth pastor has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for raping and molesting three young girls he met through his family's church between 2005 and 2007. Rico Dominic Escudero, 31, entered a plea of no contest in May to two counts of kidnapping, three counts of rape, four counts of attempted rape of a child younger than 13 and two counts of molesting a child younger than 13. (A no contest plea means the defendant does not admit guilt but acknowledges that if the case were to go to trial, there is enough evidence for a conviction.) His sentence, which was filed Oct. 19, also includes a period of supervised release to last between five years and the rest of his life. All three victims knew Escudero through Victory Outreach Church, where Escudero's father was the primary pastor and Escudero served as youth pastor, according to Deputy District Attorney Susan Riedel. At the time of the incidents, Escudero was married and had a very young child. A native of Fresno, Calif., Escudero was initially arrested in 2007 for raping a 12-year-old girl, who, with her mother, had been clients of the Victory Outreach Church women's home, according to court documents. The abuse happened during four days in mid-June 2007, when the girl stayed at Escudero's home. There, he asked her about her sexual history and proceeded to grab and kiss her when she was in the bathroom, according to court documents. On another occasion, Escudero allegedly ordered her to get on the living room floor, where he had sex with her. The girl also reported an incident in which Escudero allegedly exposed himself. Escudero offered the girl a cell phone and tickets to Disneyland if she stayed quiet about the encounters, according to the criminal complaint. Escudero's family, which were still listed as church staff in May, are no longer listed as being involved with the church, according to its website. Contact: ameeks@lcsun-news.com
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