Jalu
Steve's Destiny
11:15 a.m. PDT July 4, 2004 - A 59-year-old National City minister was arrested for allegedly striking fear of the devil into three woman to convince them to have sex with him, La Mesa Police said Saturday.
Carlos Romero, who lives in the 2700 block of Prospect Street, was arrested at his workplace in Kearny Mesa yesterday, La Mesa police Sgt. Dan Willis said.
An investigation began May 8, when a 31-year-old La Mesa woman reported the suspect to police, La Mesa police Lt. Allen White said.
The woman told police her pastor had convinced her that only by having sex with him could she be protected from the devil, White said. The woman said she had been coerced to have sex with the cleric numerous times.
During the investigation, police found two other women who told similar stories accusing the pastor of the same incident, White said.
One of the women -- a 38-year-old -- started having sex with the suspect in January. The other victim -- a 37-year-old woman -- began having sex with the suspect in March of 1996, White said.
The suspect is accused of having oral sex with all three victims, sexual intercourse with two of the victims and tried anal sex with one of the women, White said.
Romero is a minister who has a congregation of about 12 people and has nondenominational services in the homes of his Apostolic Church members.
"We haven't determined whether he has been officially ordained," Willis said.
Romero was booked into the county jail on suspicion of inducing consent to sexual acts by fraud or fear and making criminal threats, Willis said.
One of the victims said Romero threatened her with bodily injury if she told anyone about the encounters, the sergeant said.
A clerk at the jail said Romero is out on bail.
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/5360108/
Carlos Romero, who lives in the 2700 block of Prospect Street, was arrested at his workplace in Kearny Mesa yesterday, La Mesa police Sgt. Dan Willis said.
An investigation began May 8, when a 31-year-old La Mesa woman reported the suspect to police, La Mesa police Lt. Allen White said.
The woman told police her pastor had convinced her that only by having sex with him could she be protected from the devil, White said. The woman said she had been coerced to have sex with the cleric numerous times.
During the investigation, police found two other women who told similar stories accusing the pastor of the same incident, White said.
One of the women -- a 38-year-old -- started having sex with the suspect in January. The other victim -- a 37-year-old woman -- began having sex with the suspect in March of 1996, White said.
The suspect is accused of having oral sex with all three victims, sexual intercourse with two of the victims and tried anal sex with one of the women, White said.
Romero is a minister who has a congregation of about 12 people and has nondenominational services in the homes of his Apostolic Church members.
"We haven't determined whether he has been officially ordained," Willis said.
Romero was booked into the county jail on suspicion of inducing consent to sexual acts by fraud or fear and making criminal threats, Willis said.
One of the victims said Romero threatened her with bodily injury if she told anyone about the encounters, the sergeant said.
A clerk at the jail said Romero is out on bail.
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/5360108/
