A pastor in San Antonio, Texas, was arrested last week for sexually abusing two young girls over the course of several years.
Pastor Ryan Pena was charged with continuous sexual abuse of a child on Friday, April 3, after investigators in California reached out to the San Antonio Police Department, according to News 4 San Antonio.
The two victims, who are now adults, said that they are family members of Pena, 50. However, it’s not exactly clear how they are related to him.
While speaking to investigators, the victims said they had been brutally assaulted by Pena on several occasions beginning back in 2008.
Both victims recalled graphic acts of abuse, which allegedly started when they were as young as 6 to 8 years old. The victims added that the abuse continued until they were both in their late teens.
One of the victims claimed that Pena sent her a message on social network MySpace and told her he wanted to be “friends with benefits,” according to KSAT. The victim also said that Pena groomed her from a young age and told her that he loved her, according to an affidavit viewed by the outlet.
The victims both reported that they previously disclosed the incidents to family members, though they didn’t initially contact police because they wanted to move on from the abuse.
Their mindsets changed in March when both victims told police they were ready to press charges against Pena.
An investigator visited Pena’s home and informed him of his rights before he interviewed him. Pena acknowledged that he was aware of past allegations made against him and appeared hesitant to speak.
Pena also reportedly suggested that the victims’ claims were based on dreams or mental health issues. Additionally, he reportedly attempted to discredit one victim’s family.
The interview eventually concluded when Pena requested an attorney.
Detectives took both the victims’ allegations and the suspect’s statements into consideration before the San Antonio Police Department secured a warrant for Pena’s arrest.
Pena was then arrested and was taken into custody. He has since been released from custody after he posted a bond amount of $150,000.
It is not currently clear if Pena has entered a plea or retained legal counsel following his arrest.
The San Antonio Police Department did not immediately respond to Luxury Handbag Shopping’s request for comment regarding the case.
Pena was previously associated with the Church of Acts, according to News 4 San Antonio.
If you suspect child abuse, please call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or visit ChildHelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential, and the hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
