SOUTH SALT LAKE, Utah — Police in South Salt Lake have arrested a pastor from Oregon they say sent graphic text messages and had sexual contact with a 15-year-old girl in Utah.
South Salt Lake Police Officer Gary Keller says 66-year-old Leonel Rocha-Pereda of Salem, Oregon was arrested Wednesday.
Police say Rocha-Pereda sexually abused the teen girl while he was in Utah to establish a new church. They say he exchanged sexual pictures and text messages with the girl.
Police have not released the name of the church but say the girl and her family are church members.
Salt Lake County Jail records show Rocha-Pereda was being held Friday on a $56,000 bond.
He has not yet been charged.
It’s unclear if Rocha-Pereda has an attorney. Listed phone numbers for Rocha-Pereda were disconnected Friday.
