Sun Valley Church Usher Charged with Sexually Abusing Four Boys

By Brenda Gazzar
Los Angeles Daily News
July 31, 2013

http://www.dailynews.com/ci_23771876

Prosecutors have charged an usher at a Jehovah's Witness church in Sun Valley with several sex abuse counts for allegedly assaulting four boys between the ages of 8 and 15 that he met through the church, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.

Marcelo Alonso Lozano, 34, who lives in the Sun Valley area, was charged with nine felony counts, including two counts each of aggravated sexual assault of a child, continuous sexual abuse and oral copulation of a person under 14. He also faces one count each of a forcible lewd act upon a child, lewd act upon a child and sodomy of a person under 14 with 10 years difference, officials said. The criminal complaint includes a special allegation of multiple victims.

Prosecutors identified the church as the Jehovah's Witness, Sun Valley Spanish Congregation, though police identified it as the Jehovah's Witnesses Kingdom Hall in Sun Valley. The church is on the 12000 block of Wicks Street. The abuse allegedly took place between Jan. 1, 2006 and June 30, 2013.

Lozano pleaded not guilty to all counts during an arraignment Wednesday, according to Uchin Jang, a judicial assistant for Van Nuys courthouse Dept. 100.

"The suspect used his position of trust to lure these victims back to his residence, where these incidents would occur," said Los Angeles Police Department Detective John Perez of the North Hollywood Division.

Perez said the investigation is ongoing and they are looking for other possible victims that Lozano could have associated with over the years. Elders of the church came forward with information that led to Lozano's arrest, he said.

"We want to make sure there are no other victims out there," Perez said. "Anyone we could help or anyone that's hurting, we want to help them."

The defendant's bail was set Wednesday at $1.8 million, court officials said. If convicted as charged, Lozano faces a maximum term of life in state prison.

Lozano is scheduled to return to court on Aug. 12 at 8:30 a.m. to set a preliminary hearing date.

brenda.gazzar@dailynews.com