Norwalk Pastor to Be Sentenced in Sexual Assault Case

By Greg Yee
The Press-Telegram
August 4, 2014

http://www.presstelegram.com/general-news/20140804/norwalk-pastor-to-be-sentenced-in-sexual-assault-case

A Norwalk associate pastor accused of molesting as many as 20 female church members over the past eight years pleaded no contest to at least one of six counts Monday.

He will be sentenced Aug. 14.

Jorge Juan Castro, 55, was scheduled to stand trial Monday but entered a no contest plea to at least one of the six counts brought against him, according to a spokeswoman for the District Attorney’s Office. The prosecutor could not be reached Monday for more details.

Castro was arrested in September after reports of the abuse. He was charged with six felony counts in connection with the alleged sexual assaults of four women between ages 18 and 39 while he worked as an associate pastor and counselor at Las Buenas Nuevas Church, 11910 Alondra Blvd.

The alleged crimes took place between 2004 and 2012.

Although 20 women reported being assaulted by Castro, only four were willing to speak with Los Angeles County Sheriff’s detectives.

Castro’s alleged victims were primarily Spanish-speaking undocumented immigrants. He is accused of using this against them, threatening them with deportation.