A Salvadoran man living in El Salvador is accused of illegally sexually assaulting young children at a church in Maryland several years ago.
From 2014 to 2018, Irvin Giovani Alfaro Lopez allegedly assaulted at least four girls between the ages of 6 and 12 while he taught at Elim Gaithersburg Church. The church appears to be housed in a townhouse-like building in Durwood, Maryland, about 25 miles north of the church. Bethesda. The alleged attacks occurred while the children were watching a movie or closing their eyes in prayer. WUSA9 report.
First victim comes forward with allegations of abuse last may. Three more people have since come forward and police believe there may be more victims.
The indictment states that Mr. Lopez reported at least one incident of abuse to the pastor, which was then “handled internally.” Pastor Bernal Osorio insisted the church was cooperating with the investigation.
“We don’t understand people’s minds. At first we were shocked. How could this be possible? But as the details came out, we were furious. We are sorry for the people who made these decisions. ” he said.
It is unclear whether Mr. Osorio is the pastor to whom Lopez reports.
Lopez, now 33 years old, is originally from El Salvador. It is unknown when he first came to the United States. However, he was arrested in Louisiana in 2015 for illegal entry. He was released soon after on $7,500 bail, but for unknown reasons, was not ordered deported until 2018. Despite his deportation order, he remained in the United States.
Then, in January 2019, Lopez was arrested by ERO Baltimore, a local ICE subgroup. Months later, a Baltimore judge granted Lopez’s request for voluntary deportation within 60 days, and it appears he left the country as promised.
He did not remain abroad for long. In March 2020, he was arrested again, this time in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley, for illegally entering the country. Authorities immediately placed him on fast-track deportation, and he was deported a few weeks later.
He must have since re-entered the United States a third time, as he was arrested in Maryland last August and taken to the Montgomery County Detention Center, where he remains. without ties. He currently faces more than a dozen sexual assault charges, five of which are related to sexual abuse of minors.
In a statement, ICE told WUSA9 that immigration authorities “attempted to file an immigration detainer” against Lopez last year when the charges against him were first reported, but the detention center did not cooperate with the agency’s requests. said. The Montgomery County Detention Center did not respond to WUSA9’s request for comment.
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