A Hesperia pastor is in police custody following an investigation into allegations he sexually abused two minors underneath his care as a foster dad or mum.
Jose Manuel Lozano is awaiting trial on the Excessive Desert Detention Heart in Adelanto, the place he’s being held in lieu of $5-million bail. Investigators described his alleged victims as ladies ages 16 and 10.
Jose Manuel Lozano
(Hesperia Police Division)
The 54-year-old Hesperia resident led bilingual providers for a predominately Latino and Spanish-speaking congregation at Zion Meeting Church of God Hesperia, an affiliate of Zion Meeting Church of God Worldwide, headquartered in Tennessee. A consultant from the latter mentioned in an interview that the group condemns Lozano’s “ungodliness” and that he was faraway from workplace March 15, when the allegations got here to mild. He was arrested final week.
Pastors at neighboring church buildings mentioned they have been shocked and dismayed upon listening to of Lozano’s arrest.
“It simply reminds us of all of the methods we have now programs to guard kids,” mentioned Tom Beasley, pastor at Hesperia Group Church. He mentioned he didn’t know Lozano personally, nor did any of his congregants.
“We’ve to do our due diligence,” Beasley mentioned of his position as a pastor. “It’s a damaged world we reside in.”
Lewis Busch, pastor of close by Zion Lutheran Church and Faculty, mentioned he felt “profound unhappiness” at listening to in regards to the arrest. He mentioned he additionally felt concern for younger folks and anxiousness in regards to the potential ramifications for ministry work.
“We’re about serving to folks and therapeutic folks,” Busch mentioned. He worries that Lozano’s arrest has additional sullied the fame of clergy.
Zion Meeting Church of God Hesperia is holding providers in Lozano’s absence with interim pastor Henry Rodriguez in his place. Rodriguez didn’t reply to The Instances’ request for remark, and the church’s Instagram and Fb pages have been taken down.
Since 2018, Lozano’s congregation had been renting area from Sovereign Means Christian Church, in keeping with that church’s pastor, Stephen Feinstein. He mentioned he knew Zion Meeting Church of God Hesperia as an excellent tenant that communicated effectively. The information “got here as such a shock,” he mentioned.
He mentioned the Sovereign Means Christian Church campus has safety cameras in practically each room, however regulation enforcement hasn’t requested for any video.
“Sexual abuse is an issue in each institutional setting,” Feinstein mentioned.
Native authorities consider Lozano could have focused different victims, and officers are asking anybody with info to contact San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Deputy Frankie Zavala with the Hesperia station at (760) 947-1500 or to name an nameless tip line at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463).
