Erick Odir Vidal-Fuentes. Via MCSAO.
A man — who was a pastor at a church in Takoma Park — was found guilty for raping a church member.
A judge found Erick Odir Vidal-Fuentes, 39, of Hyattsville, guilty of second-degree rape and fourth-degree sex offense, according to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office (MCSAO).
The bench trial concluded Tuesday in circuit court.
Vidal-Fuentes faces up to 20 years in prison and is set to be sentenced Oct. 4.
According to MCSAO, in Sept. 2020, a parishioner was a victim of Vidal-Fuentes at the Iglesia Pentecostal El Fin Viene in the 7500 block of New Hampshire Ave., where Vidal-Fuentes was a pastor.
In a written statement, State’s Attorney John McCarthy said, “The defendant abused his position as head of a church to gain the confidence of this parishioner, and then violated her trust, victimizing her. We thank Assistant State’s Attorney Gabriel Carrera for his work in this matter, and we also thank the victim for having the bravery to come forward and testify in the trial, helping to ensure Vidal-Fuentes is not able to do further harm in the community.”
According to the Takoma Park Police Department, police initiated an investigation in 2021 into allegations that Vidal-Fuentes sexually-assaulted two women members of the church.
He was arrested in Aug. 2021.
Police said he has another pending trial set for July 24 for another allegation of sexual assault of a female church member.
