ROC gets new pastor as Aguilar looks to pay legal bills

Richmond Times-Dispatch/March 20, 2014

BY Louis Llovio

The Richmond Outreach Center will name its new pastor this month as its former pastor, who is facing charges of sexually abusing two girls in Texas, asks for donations to help pay mounting legal bills.

The ROC, as the South Richmond megachurch is known, will introduce a permanent replacement for Geronimo Aguilar at its Saturday evening church service March 29, according to an announcement on its website.

A pair of interim pastors, P.J. Preston and David Wheeler, has been filling in since August, shortly after the church began a national search for Aguilar’s replacement.

The new pastor will replace Aguilar, the ROC founder and former senior pastor, who resigned in June. Texas authorities had arrested him in May on charges that he abused an 11-year old and her 13-year old sister in the 1990s.

Neither the church nor Jonathan Falwell, who was brought in as an adviser and consultant, responded to a request for comment Thursday. Falwell is pastor of Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg.

Sarah January, director of development at the ROC, did not return a phone call seeking comment.

Aguilar has been indicted in two cases — one for each of the sisters — on four counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child under 14, three counts of sexual assault of a child under 17, and five counts of indecency with a child.

The aggravated sexual assault charges are first-degree felonies that carry a maximum term of life in prison. The remaining charges are second-degree felonies with a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison each.

In a letter to supporters this year, Aguilar asked for donations to the Geronimo Aguilar Legal Defense Fund.

“I’ve been told by my attorney it will take approximately $100,000 to ensure the defense team, along with all travel accommodations to and from Texas,” he wrote.

“I am humbly asking that you prayerfully consider what God would have you contribute. No amount is too large or too small; every little bit helps.”

Aguilar wrote that he’s asking for money because legal troubles are preventing him from finding work and because “I no longer have a sponsor for my legal team.”

“Someone had previously committed to supporting this endeavor from start to finish, but they have backed out for personal reasons, leaving me on my own to come up with the money,” he said.

Aguilar, who has kept a low profile since stepping down from the church, did not respond via email or phone to an emailed request for comment or to verify he had written the letter.

David Carlson, his attorney, also did not respond to a request for comment.

Melody McDonald, a spokeswoman with the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney’s Office in Texas, said this week that a trial date hasn’t been set. Aguilar is due back in court June 20.

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