South OC Pastor Charged With Sexual Assault, Victims Come Forward

MISSION VIEJO, CA — A retired Pacific Hills Calvary Chapel pastor is suspected of molesting at least one girl, starting when she was younger than 10-years-old, according to the sheriff's department.

On Friday, Jose Andres Lopez, 67 of Mission Viejo was charged with 18 felony counts with sentencing enhancements for multiple victims and substantial sexual conduct, according to court records.

The charges include three counts of continuous sexual abuse of a child, five counts of oral copulation or sexual penetration with a child 10 or younger, four counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child, four counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child younger than 14, a count of aggravated sexual assault of a child with a foreign object and a count of forcible lewd act on a child.

Sixteen of the alleged felonies relate to one girl from 2006 through Aug. 21, and two counts refer to another girl from November 1991 through November 1998.

Lopez volunteered as a pastor at Pacific Hills Calvary Chapel in Aliso Viejo between 2003 and 2005. He also volunteered at Compass Bible Church in Aliso Viejo between 2012 to the present, Orange County Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Carrie Braun said.

He is being held on $1 million bail, after his Wednesday arrest in San Juan Capistrano.

Sheriff's investigators said only that the alleged sexual assaults began when she was younger than 10, Braun said.

The girl, now an adult, came forward to deputies on Sunday.

The attacks happened over the last 10 years, said sheriff's Sgt. Dennis Breckner.

A second alleged victim came forward to authorities Thursday afternoon, Breckner said.

The alleged victim, who is an adult now, said she was a member of one of the churches where Lopez worked and the "suspect had taken her and other children regularly back to his house after church events," Breckner said.

The alleged victim accused him of molesting her, Breckner said.

Investigators suspect there could be more alleged victims and asked anyone with relevant information to call 714-647-7419. All information will be kept anonymous. Orange County Crime Stoppers will accept anonymous tips at 855-TIP-OCCS.