The Black Collar Crime Series relies on public news stories and publicly available information for its content. If any incorrect information is found, please contact Bruce Gerencser. Nothing in this post should be construed as an accusation of guilt. Those accused of crimes are innocent until proven guilty.
Benjamin Guerra, a youth pastor at an unnamed Evangelical church in Outlook, Washington, stands accused of raping a minor church member.
Prosecutors charged an Outlook youth pastor with raping a teenage girl he knew.
In addition to five charges each of second-degree rape and third-degree child molestation, Benjamin Felix Guerra, 32, was also charged with three counts of third-degree child rape and a single count of communicating with a minor for immoral purposes, according to a six-page charging document filed in Yakima County Superior Court Monday.
Guerra, who is out of custody after posting $10,000 bail, is scheduled to be arraigned on the charges April 24.
A woman called the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office in late March saying that Guerra had inappropriately touched her 15-year-old daughter, who was part of a youth group Guerra was leading, according to a probable cause affidavit filed by a sheriff’s detective.
The Yakima Herald-Republic typically does not identify sexual assault victims without their consent.
Sheriff’s spokesman Casey Schilperoort said the report did not identify the church where Guerra served.
In an interview at the county’s Children Advocacy Center, the girl described several incidents where Guerra raped and molested her on multiple occasions, the affidavit said. While at a fast-food restaurant with Guerra and members of the youth group, Guerra, she said, wrote a note on his cellphone asking her to prepare for sex with him and telling her to be quiet about what they were doing.
Guerra was arrested at his home in the 2800 block of Gurley Road April 9 and booked into the Yakima County jail.
While a pretrial evaluation recommended releasing Guerra on court supervision, Judge Jeffery Swan ordered Guerra held in lieu of $10,000 bail and, if he posted bail, to maintain weekly phone contact with court staff and report in person twice a week, as well as receive text messages reminding him of further court dates.
Swan also barred Guerra from having any contact with the victim.
Bruce Gerencser, 67, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 46 years. He and his wife have six grown children and sixteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.
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I think Outlook is actually in Washington. There is a very small town in WA named Outlook, and it is in Yakima County.
Thanks. I corrected the post. ❤️