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Sharonville Pastor Charged With Coercing A Minor

police tape
WCPO

Updated at 5:45 p.m.

The pastor of a Sharonville church is facing federal charges for allegedly coercing a teenage girl. The Aug. 9 complaint against Cesar Augusto Guerrero Jr., was unsealed Wednesday following the 41-year-old's appearance in federal court. 

According to the affidavit, the Sharonville Police Department received several complaints on Aug. 7 regarding Guerrero, a pastor at Mision Cristiana el Calvario Church. He allegedly contacted one victim, a 17-year-old, through Facebook Messenger and told her he had dreamt about her in white and walking in a dark place. The victim replied that she had been sexually molested in Guatemala, and in response Guerrero allegedly told her the only way to get out the "dark place" was for her to have sex with him as a "cleansing process." He then met with the victim at the church on July 30, where he allegedly raped her, according to a report from U.S. Attorney Benjamin Glassman's office. 

On Aug. 9, a second victim came forward saying she had been sexually assaulted by the pastor on more than one occasion, beginning when she was 14 years old. 

Guerrero was arrested last week on state charges and was transferred to federal custody Wednesday, a release says. Sharonville Police tell our news partner WCPO that at the moment they only have enough information to charge Guerrero over one of the allegations.

The Hamilton County Clerk of Courts website indicates a Cesar Guerrero was charged in Hamilton County with three counts of rape and three counts of sexual battery on Aug. 14, but lists his age as 38. The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office did not list a Guerroro in custody.

This story was updated to include information about local charges.

Jennifer Merritt brings 20 years of "tra-digital" journalism experience to WVXU.