Kissimmee Pastor Faces Fraud Charge

By Henry Pierson Curtis
Orlando Sentinel
July 12, 2012

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-07-12/news/os-pastor-faces-new-charges-kissimmee-20120712_1_kissimmee-pastor-fraud-charge-kissimmee-police

A Kissimmee pastor charged with molesting a teenage parishioner is now accused of swindling a church member, Kissimmee police said Thursday.

Angel Perez-Nieves of Templo Pentecostal Puerta de Salvacion is accused of using a church member's personal information to open an account with an alarm company, records state.

"The victim explained to officers that the church's pastor…told her and other parishioners that he needed to collect their personal information for the purpose of 'state reporting,'" a police report said. "On May 22, 2012, the victim received a telephone call from Devcon Alarm Company about the alarm contract for the church. The company told the victim that the payments for the alarm are past due and that her credit score was in jeopardy. The victim was confused due to the fact she did not give anyone permission to open an account with her information."

Attorney Mark Longwell of Orlando, the pastor's lawyer, was surprised to learn of the new charge. He said police had not contacted him or his client.

"Clearly this has been a one-sided investigation," he said.

In May, Perez-Nieves, 45, was accused of molesting a teenager last year who was a member of the congregation at 2244 W. Columbia Ave. The new case accuses him of fraudulent use of personal information, which carries a $3,000 bond when he is arrested.

hcurtis@Tribune.com or 407-420-5257.