Youth Pastor From Santa Ana Church Charged with Assaulting Girl

Prosecutors in Santa Ana say it’s possible a youth pastor, Jonathan Lamont Jenkins, molested multiple girls at the church. 

Jenkins is currently under fire for assaulting one girl whom authorities say may have been abused multiple times before she reported it to her fellow church members. One of the attacks earlier this year was allegedly in a church restroom. 

Michelle Van der Linden in the D-A’s office says the pastor had worked at Starlight Baptist Church for a little over two years. 

"Anytime we have somebody in that situation that has access to children, we are always aware that there could be more potential victims out there."

Van der Linden says that prosecutors are speaking with other families from the church.

The youth pastor was arrested Tuesday about 6 pm leaving a liquor store. 

Jenkins is being charged with two counts of lewd acts on a child younger than 14, two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and a count of attempted lewd acts on a child younger than 14.

The man has a couple of felony convictions from the 80s of robbery and burglary. He faces up to 90 years to life in prison if he is convicted. 


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