Former Richmond pastor Geronimo Aguilar sentenced to 40 years in prison for sexually abusing children

CBS 6 News, Virginia/October 13, 2015

By Sandra Jones

Tarrant County, Texas -- The former pastor of the Richmond Outreach Center (ROC) Geronimo Aguilar has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for sexually abusing children, inside a Texas courtroom Tuesday.

Aguilar, known locally as Pastor G, faced life in prison for two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child. In addition to three counts of sexual assault of a child under 17 and two counts of indecency with a child.

A judge sentence Aguilar to 40 years on count one and two, and 20 years on counts three through seven. The counts will be served concurrently.

According to CBS 6 legal analyst, Todd Stone, Aguilar must serve 20 years in prison before he’s eligible for parole.

Aguilar’s attorney, David Carlson, released a statement on Tuesday's ruling.

“I am extremely disappointed with the courts decision today.  I don’t agree with it.  I didn’t agree with the verdict.  And I still don’t,” said Carlson. “There are multiple constitutional issues for Geronimo Aguilar.  We will pursue a very, very legitimate appeal.”

A Texas jury found Aguilar guilty of sex crimes against two sisters who he started to abuse when they were 11 and 13 years old. The girls, now women, said they were abused in the 1990s while Aguilar was a pastor at their church in Texas. Aguilar's attorneys have repeatedly said the pastor was innocent and vow to appeal.

Pastor Ronald Taylor of First Baptist Church (Waverly) said this ruling has had a big impact on the church community.

"This is a wake up for ministers now. People that walk the walk, can't walk one way and do another thing,” said Taylor.

“It basically hurt all of us. Yes, and there should be a healing process is what I'm look after. It was a blunder that he made yes.  But I'm praying that out of that healing is being made,” said Taylor.

Aguilar served as pastor and founder of the ROC church in Richmond. He was fired in 2014 after the Texas allegations surfaced.

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