TARRANT COUNTY, Texas (WRIC) — Witnesses are continuing testifying Wednesday in the trial for a former Richmond mega church pastor accused of sexually abusing two Texas teens.
The prosecution began to present its case against Geronimo “Pastor G” Aguilar yesterday.
Kelly Ortiz, who was part of “Set Free Ministries,” a church that Geronimo Aguilar’s dad founded in California, testified first on Wednesday. Ortiz is also a former member of Aguilar’s church, the Richmond Outreach Center, who came to Richmond in 1998 with her husband help start up the ROC.
Ortiz testified that Pastor G brought one of the alleged victims out to dinner and the movies when his wife was away. She testified she thought that was odd and it seemed like a date to her. Ortiz said she never actually witnessed Pastor G inappropriately touching any alleged victims.
Jason Pena was next to take the stand Wednesday. Pena was part of a church music group Aguilar led in Texas.
Pena testified that he saw Pastor G zipping up his pants in the alleged victims bedroom.
During Tuesday’s testimony, one of the alleged victims told the jury the former Richmond pastor began touching her inappropriately when she was just 11-years-old. The alleged victim testified that her parents allowed Aguilar, her youth pastor at the time, to live with her family and even share a bedroom with her. She claims the touching turned to sex when she was 13.
“I was laying in my bed and Geronimo came in and we had sex for the first time,” the victim said in court Tuesday.
Aguilar maintains he’s innocent.
During opening statements, we also learned that Aguilar will testify.
8News investigator Kerri O’Brien is the only Richmond reporter in the Texas courtroom this week. Stay with us for the latest updates.
