On Thursday, a Richmond pastor was convicted of five counts of aggravated sexual assault on a child under 14 and 10 counts of forcible lewd acts after targeting a young congregant. The jury also decided that one of these acts happened during a first-degree residential burglary, according to the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office.
Emilio Alberto Esperanza-Pacheco, 52, committed the crimes between June and October of 2023, the DA stated. At that time, Esperanza-Pacheco worked as a pastor at God’s Lighthouse of Truth Church in Richmond. According to evidence from the trial, he used his leadership role at the church and his friendship with the victim’s family to keep the child from speaking out about the abuse.
The victim eventually told her parents, leading to Esperanza-Pacheco’s arrest by Richmond police on Oct. 14, 2023. He has been in custody since. Esperanza-Pacheco faces a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Ashley Torres. Judge Danielle Douglas has scheduled the sentencing for April 9 in Martinez.