UTAH
The Salt Lake Tribune
By Michael McFall | The Salt Lake Tribune
First Published Oct 02 2014
South Salt Lake police have arrested an Oregon pastor for allegedly sexting and touching a 15-year-old.
Police arrested Leonel Rocha-Pereda, 66, on Wednesday morning on suspicion of sexually abusing a minor, enticing a minor over the Internet and sexual exploitation of a minor. As of Thursday afternoon, he had not been formally charged in 3rd District Court.
Rocha-Pereda, of Salem, Ore., had been e-mailing the girl since July, and in mid-September, made a trip to Salt Lake City to start a new church, according to a police news release.
The girl told police that the man was the pastor of her church.
The girl’s family knew Rocha-Pereda from when they used to live in Oregon and invited him to stay at their South Salt Lake home, said police spokesman Gary Keller.
“During the time the suspect was in Salt Lake he [allegedly] grabbed the victim’s breasts and groin on two separate occasions,” the release reads. The alleged touching occurred at the girl’s home and at a local mall, police say.
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