Fugitive U.S. Pastor Captured in Tijuana

By Sandra Dibble
U-T San Diego
January 27, 2012

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/jan/26/fugitive-us-pastor-captured-in-tijuana/

Otis Holland, a former pastor from Henderson, Nevada who fled after being accused of sexually assaulting teenage girls in his congregation. He was captured Wednesday in Tijuana. — Baja California-SSPE

Days after being featured on the television show “America’s Most Wanted,” a fugitive pastor from Henderson, Nev., was captured Wednesday by Mexican authorities in Tijuana. Otis Holland, 55, is accused of sexually assaulting teenage girls in his parish who came to him for counseling.

Holland’s arrest took place thanks to a tip from a viewer of the program’s Jan. 20 episode, authorities said. On Wednesday, the information reached the U.S. Marshal’s Office in San Diego, which in turn contacted members of Baja California’s State Preventive Police. They arrested him that same day, and turned him over to U.S. authorities.

“It was a fantastic operation on both sides of the border, it couldn’t have gone smoother,” said Omar Castillo, a member of the U.S. Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force.

Alfredo Arenas, chief liaison officer for the Baja California state police, said Holland was detained outside a house in Tijuana’s Zona Norte, a neighborhood near the U.S. border. Holland had been living there by himself, and had not been there for long, Arenas said: “He had a couple of suitcases, the clothes were still inside.”

Holland was being held in San Diego’s Central Jail on Thursday, pending his removal to Nevada, where he faces a charge of conspiracy, one of child abuse and 11 counts of assault on a minor under 16.

According to the report aired on “America’s Most Wanted,” Holland founded the United Faith Church. He was first charged with sexual abuse in Dec. 10, 2010. He fled in July 2011, after more victims came forward, the report said.