Former head of ROC Church to appear in court Monday for sex assault trial

By Emily Satchell
WRIC
June 15, 2015

http://wric.com/2015/06/15/former-head-of-roc-church-to-appear-in-court-monday-for-sex-assault-trial/

Geronimo Aguilar

TARRANT COUNTY, Texas (WRIC) — The former head of a mega church in Richmond is heading to court in Texas today to face eight charges of sexual assault on two young girls.

More than two years after he was charged, the former head of the ROC Church (now known as the Celebration Church and Outreach Ministry), Pastor Geronimo Aguilar, will have his day in court today. 8News investigator Kerri O’Brien was first to break the allegations of sexual abuse which led to a police investigation and Aguilars’ arrest.

The victims, now in their 30’s, say the abuse started when Aguilar was their youth pastor in Texas back in the 1990’s.

“I was about 12 when we started having sex,” one of the victims involved in the case tells 8News.

“I was 13,” a second victim says. “It started out the same way where he was very flirtatious.”

Pastor G denies any wrong-doing.

The trial will begin with jury selection. Attorneys will choose from a pool of a 100 potential jurors. Sources close to the case say they hope is to begin testimony this afternoon. The alleged victims will take the stand first.

The prosecutions witness list is long and includes many former and outspoken ROC parishioners, like Pastor Allen Caldwell, Jamie Chasteen and Amber Baker — all have accused Aguilar of sex with parishioners.

Prosecutors plan to use their testimony to portray a pattern of sexual misconduct.

The trial is expected to take two weeks.