A California pastor has been arrested following allegations he sexually abused two foster children under his care, according to a press release published by the Hesperia Police Department last week.
Jose Manuel Lozano, 54, served as a bilingual pastor at Zion Assembly Church of God in Hesperia, California, an affiliate church of Zion Assembly Church of God International, according to the LA Times. Hesperia is located about 80 miles northeast of Los Angeles.
Lozano was removed from his office at the church March 15, when the allegations became public, a church representative told the LA Times. The representative said the church doesn’t condone Lozano’s “ungodliness.”
The pastor was arrested on April 25 and faces felony charges of continuous sexual abuse of a minor, police said.
According to police, Lozano abused two girls, ages 10 and 16, while fostering them. Detectives believe there may be additional victims and released Lozano’s booking photo to the public.
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After being booked into the High Desert Detention Center in Adelanto, Lozano’s bail was set at $5 million, according to the press release.
An interim pastor is currently leading services at Zion Assembly Church of God, the LA Times reported. Following Lozano’s arrest, the church’s social media sites have been taken down, the news publication added.
Pastors at nearby churches in the community were shocked and disheartened when they heard of Lozano’s arrest.
Lewis Busch, pastor at close by Zion Lutheran Church and School, told the LA Times that he felt “profound sadness” when he learned about the arrest. He expressed concern for young people in the area and worried about the potential impact this news has for ministry work.
“We’re about helping people and healing people,” Busch said. He said he worries Lozano’s arrest has damaged the reputation of clergy in Hesperia.
Since 2018, Lozano’s congregation has rented meeting space from Sovereign Way Christian Church, the church’s pastor, Stephen Feinstein, told the LA Times. Feinstein said when he learned about Lozano’s arrest, the news “came as such a shock.”
Feinstein also noted that the Sovereign Way Christian Church campus has security cameras in almost every room, but police haven’t asked for any videos.
“Sexual abuse is a problem in every institutional setting,” Feinstein said.
Freelance journalist Liz Lykins writes for WORLD Magazine, Christianity Today, Ministry Watch, and other publications.
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