Child Sex Abuse Charges Filed Against Church Volunteer From Edgewater

ANNAPOLIS, MD — An Edgewater man who volunteered as a Bible study leader at an Annapolis church has been charged with multiple counts of child sex abuse and police are seeking other victims in the case. Anne Arundel County Police detectives interviewed the juvenile victim in the case last month and learned the suspect was a volunteer at Iglesia Hispanic Emmanuel Church, 913 Cedar Park Road in Annapolis.

The suspect, Erick Ernesto Granados-Zeledon, 39, of Edgewater, was a chaperone and bible study instructor at the church. Police spokesman Lt. Ryan Frashure tells Patch that none of the abuse happened at the church, but took place at the suspect's house in Edgewater.

"The suspect volunteered at the church so he had access to children and we want to make sure there are no other victims. We were made aware of the incident when the juvenile and the family contacted police in May," Frashure said.

Detectives obtained an arrest warrant that charged Granados-Zeledon with second-degree sex offense, second-degree child abuse, third-degree sex offense, fourth-degree sex offense, sexual abuse of a minor, sodomy and second-degree assault.

Granados-Zeledon was arrested Thursday without incident at his residence in the 1700 block of Oldtown Road in Edgewater, police say.

The Iglesia Hispanic Emmanuel Church has cooperated with authorities in the investigation, a police spokesman says. Granados-Zeledon is no longer a volunteer at the church and had no affiliation with the church's private school or daycare, authorities say.

Anne Arundel County Police ask any other victims or anyone with information on this incident to contact the Anne Arundel County Child Abuse Unit at 410-222-4733. Tipsters can remain anonymous by calling the Anne Arundel County Tip Line 410-222- 4700 or Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866- 7LOCKUP.

»Photo of Erick Ernesto Granados-Zeledon, courtesy of Anne Arundel County Police