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Priest Ordered to Stand Trial on Lewd Act Charges in Fullerton Associated Press State & Local Wire November 13, 2003 A Roman Catholic priest has been ordered to stand trial on charges of committing lewd acts against a 15-year-old girl. Orange County Superior Court Judge Richard King ruled Wednesday there was enough evidence against the Rev. Gerardo Jarencio Tanilong, 72, for the case to go to trial. Tanilong remains free on $50,000 bail, said Deputy District Attorney Sheila Hanson. Although the alleged victim did not take the stand, an Anaheim police officer who interviewed the teen testified that she was sitting in the back seat of her family's car with Tanilong on July 12 when he touched her breast and tried to reach into her underpants. The family was driving Tanilong to several locations to celebrate Mass, Hanson said. Tanilong, who served at Our Lady of Guadaloupe-Delhi Church in Santa Ana, was placed on paid administrative leave after his arrest and will remain there until the case is resolved, a diocese representative said. On Tuesday, a church pastor from Loma Linda was arrested on suspicion of fondling an 11-year-old girl at his house, authorities said. The Rev. Johannes Ginting, 56, is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail. The girl had gone to Ginting's apartment Tuesday looking for a friend and while she was there the pastor allegedly touched the girl inappropriately, sheriff's spokeswoman Cindy Beavers said. Ginting is an associate pastor at an Indonesian church in Colton. Sheriff's detectives did not disclose the name of the church because the alleged incident did not occur there. |
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