Pastor Convicted Of Child Sexual Assault

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA — A local pastor faces life in prison after being convicted this week of sexually assaulting a child whose parents were members of his parish.

A jury convicted the Richmond pastor on multiple felony counts stemming from the sexual assault of a child, concluding a case prosecutors said involved an abuse of trust and authority.

A jury on Wednesday found Emilio Alberto Esperanza-Pacheco, 52, guilty of five counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child under 14, and 10 counts of forcible lewd acts upon a child, according to the Contra Costa County District Attorney's office. Jurors also found that one of the forcible lewd acts occurred during a first-degree residential burglary, according to a news release.

The abuse happened against a child between June 1, 2023, and Oct. 14, 2023. At the time, Esperanza-Pacheco was serving as a pastor at God’s Lighthouse of Truth Church in Richmond, where the victim and her family were members.

Prosecutors said Esperanza-Pacheco used his position within the church and his relationship with the family to silence the victim, identified as Jane Doe, and prevent her from disclosing the abuse. The victim later reported the assaults to her parents, prompting an investigation.
Richmond police arrested Esperanza-Pacheco on Oct. 14, 2023.

He will be sentenced on April 9 in Martinez. Esperanza-Pacheco faces a potential sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole, according to the D.A.'s office.

“The penalty the defendant is facing reflects the gravity of the crimes committed against a child,” Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton said in a statement. “While no outcome can undo the trauma suffered by the victim, we hope the verdict provides some sense of justice and allows her and her family to move forward with a degree of closure.”