By Darren Duarte
WTNH [Hartford CT]
June 23, 2006
http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=5071691&nav=menu29_2
A pastor charged with raping and impregnating an 11-year-old girl made an appearance in court Friday. Modesto Reyes is accused of raping the girl several times inside a church.
He's a man his community puts their faith and trust in. But now that police have charged Reyes with the rape of an 11-year-old people like Maria Saldevir aren't sure what to think.
"She say she was surprised and she can't believe that," Saldevir said thorough a translator. "She knows him for a long time. She goes to his church and he always looked like a nice person, honest person."
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| Modesto Reyes |
Reyes, 52, was sent to jail this week after police say DNA tests proved he fathered a baby from the now 12-year old victim. The cops believe the rape happened inside his Hartford church.
He faced a Hartford Superior Court judge Friday, but the charges were so serious prosecutors want to formally charge him next month. They may have additional charges.
Reyes' family was distraught after leaving the courthouse. They didn't want to comment on the case.
Although Pastor Reyes' Church of God is closed now, some members of his congregation and people in this community can't stop talking about the shocking allegations.
"Right now, you know, they say the test... everything is true. Wow. My opinion? Oh my God," says Lewis Pabon, who has four kids including a 12 and 13-year-old daughter.
"I say my daughter no more come back to this church," he said.
"She says she's kind of sad 'cause she know him a lot and she thinks he's not guilty," says Maria Saldevir. "He's a very nice person."
Reyes will get a chance to make a plea of guilty or not guilty when he appears in court again on July 11th.
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