Pastor Accused of Molesting Underaged Chinese Girl Pleads NOT Guilty
By Carl Samson
The American pastor accused of
Douglas Rivera, pastor of God’s Gypsy Christian Church in Glendale, California, allegedly lurked outside Vanllee Hotel and Suites in Covina on February 7 and masturbated in his truck while watching two young girls inside a room.
Rivera, 40, then coerced his way into the room and touched one of them inappropriately, according to police.
The girls, aged 10 and 12 at the time, were visiting from China on a field trip and assumed he was their chaperone.
The suspect, who fled the scene in his truck, was previously out on a $280,000 bail but is back in jail this week.
He was charged with three counts: lewd act upon a child, first-degree burglary and indecent exposure, according to ABC 7.
Rivera pleaded not guilty before a Pomona court on Wednesday, claiming innocence as he did while he was being hunted. He turned himself in on February 11.
“I did…nothing wrong. I was at the wrong place at the wrong time,” he said in an Instagram video.
If proven guilty, Rivera could face up to 15 years in prison and be registered as a sex offender for life. His bail was increased to $1,160,000.
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