The pastor of a church in Orange County has been arrested for alleged sexual abuse of two boys and investigators believe he may have other victims, officials announced late last week.
Detectives with the Riverside Police Department’s Sexual Assault, Child Abuse Unit say 51-year-old Juan Barrios, a resident of Riverside, sexually assaulted two brothers between 2009 and 2015 while the family was living with him at his home.
One of the young victims reported the sexual abuse in May of this year, telling authorities that the abuse started when he was just 9 years old and lasted until he was in his mid-teens.
That victim’s younger brother also came forward and reported similar claims of abuse by the same man, their family’s church pastor.
After what authorities described as a thorough investigation, detectives arrested the 51-year-old pastor on Sept. 8. He was booked at the Robert Presley Detention Center for several sex abuse violations.
Barrios, who is currently free on $500,000 bail, has been a pastor at Iglesia de Dio Israelita in the Fullerton.
“Due to the nature of these allegations, detectives believe there could be others that Mr. Barrios victimized that have not yet come forward,” a news release from the Riverside Police Department stated.
Anyone with information regarding this case or who believes they are a victim of the 51-year-old is asked to contact Officer Kimberly Coronado at 951-353-7949 or by email at KCoronado@RiversideCA.gov or contact Det. Christian Wilcox at 951-353-7133 or by email at CWilcox@RiversideCA.gov.