Baptist Minister From Concord Charged With 23 Counts of Sexual Abuse

MARTINEZ - A Baptist minister has been charged by the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office with 23 counts based on accusations that he sexually assaulted a young girl over several years.

Fernando Maldonado, a 32-year-old Concord man, is facing 10 counts related to unlawful sexual intercourse, 12 counts related to lewd acts upon a child and a count of sodomy on a minor, according to the district attorney's office.

The charges come after Martinez police investigated a report received April 18 that a victim had been molested by Maldonado, who has worked as a Baptist minister at churches in Pleasant Hill and Martinez.

Also on Patch: Baptist Minister Arrested For Sexually Assaulting A Juvenile Girl: Police

Maldonado was accused of sexually assaulting a girl under the age of 14 starting in 2012, when he was 29, according to police.

Officers arrested him and served search warrants in Concord, Martinez and Pleasant Hill.

As of Saturday, Martinez police were still investigating the case and asking other potential victims to contact them.

Maldonado is being held on $725,000 bail at the Martinez Detention Facility.

He was scheduled to make an appearance in a Martinez courtroom this morning to be arraigned.

-Bay Area News, image via Martinez Police Department