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Youth pastor accused of sexual relationship with teen
The Orange County Register ^ | Thursday, December 18, 2008 | CHRIS CAESAR

Posted on 12/20/2008 8:13:53 AM PST by tom h

DANA POINT – Capo Beach Calvary Church's junior high ministry director was arrested at the church this morning on suspicion of having a "sexual relationship" with a teenage female enrolled in his program. Daniel J. Pedroza Jr., 28, of San Clemente will be charged with six felony counts, Orange County Sheriff's Department spokesman Jim Amormino said. "We received a child-abuse report from social services detailing that a minor female between the ages of 14 and 18 disclosed she had been engaged in a sexual relationship with her youth pastor," he said. Investigators arrested Pedroza at the Capistrano Beach church around 10:30 a.m. today. “I’m aware that there is an investigation going on, and I am fully cooperating with the authorities,” church pastor Craig Whittaker said. He declined further comment on the case, citing the ongoing investigation. Amormino said investigators think there may be additional victims, and he urged anyone with more information to contact the Sheriff's Department at 714-628-7170.

(Excerpt) Read more at ocregister.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: church; crime; pastor; youthpastor
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To: NRA2BFree
How can we ever be a witness to others when we don't even have leaders in the church to set a good example.

And uninvolved parents who just drop their kids off and leave them in charge of some "pastor" at a "youth group."

21 posted on 12/20/2008 8:43:06 AM PST by XR7
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To: Joe Boucher
"if it had been an adult female having sexual relations with an underage male there would be NO charges?"

If she was hot, and therefor not guilty, we would all be celebrating!!

22 posted on 12/20/2008 8:43:55 AM PST by KoRn
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To: Theodore R.
When I was young in church there were no “youth ministers”, just the pastor for ALL.

Or, ALL for the pastor, eh?

23 posted on 12/20/2008 8:44:14 AM PST by XR7
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To: adopt4Christ
An unmarried Rabbi would raise eyebrows at synagogue
24 posted on 12/20/2008 8:44:42 AM PST by MilspecRob (Most people don't act stupid, they really are.)
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To: tom h

A man that age should be looking to get married, but he shouldn’t be looking in the Junior High youth group!


25 posted on 12/20/2008 8:47:58 AM PST by Tax-chick ("And the rum is for all your good vices.")
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To: tom h
If a person awn’s a franchise food shop, they will hire
a person only after a drug test and lie detector test.

They will send their children to a school or church
where no real tests are run.

Don't hire a person that works with children with out
better checks.

26 posted on 12/20/2008 8:52:07 AM PST by HuntsvilleTxVeteran (Obama, Change America will die for.)
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To: XR7
And uninvolved parents who just drop their kids off and leave them in charge of some "pastor" at a "youth group."

Yes, but parents shouldn't have to worry about leaving their kids with church staff. You would expect them to be safe there. A lot of times their parents aren't Christians but know enough to want their children to be, so dropping them off should be a safe place for their kids to go.

27 posted on 12/20/2008 8:53:04 AM PST by NRA2BFree (From slave to President.........Hallelujah, Kunta Kinte is free at last.......)
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To: HuntsvilleTxVeteran
awn's should be owns
28 posted on 12/20/2008 8:55:45 AM PST by HuntsvilleTxVeteran (Obama, Change America will die for.)
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To: NRA2BFree
Parents shouldn't have to worry about leaving their kids with church staff.
You would expect them to be safe there.

Says who?


29 posted on 12/20/2008 9:00:23 AM PST by XR7
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To: tom h

I’ve been to this church with friends in the past. It can happen in any church.

It almost happened in the Baptist Church we go to near here in Arkansas. Most churches try to have plans to prevent this like having the others present but it can still happen.


30 posted on 12/20/2008 9:00:37 AM PST by Ruy Dias de Bivar (NEVER FORGET TREASON!)
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To: tom h

Well, I’m not sure I trust social services 100% of the time. Young women have been known to “stretch the truth” and they do develop crushes on their teachers and ministers from time to time, you know. I hope this guy is innocent of charges. Can we assume he is until it’s proved otherwise?


31 posted on 12/20/2008 9:04:14 AM PST by ElayneJ
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To: library user

Amen to that!!


32 posted on 12/20/2008 9:08:02 AM PST by blackie (Be Well~Be Armed~Be Safe~Molon Labe!)
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To: ccmay
This can’t be possible, he’s not a Catholic priest.

And the victim is a girl.

33 posted on 12/20/2008 9:11:21 AM PST by CE2949BB (Fight.)
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To: library user
He just looks stunned to me.

Stunned with a tazer.

34 posted on 12/20/2008 9:13:08 AM PST by retrokitten (I want to rock your gypsy soul, just like way back in the days of old- Into the Mystic)
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To: tom h

The Evil One will focus his attention on people who are trusted by other to bring the the Word of God.

These people should have special training to look out for and avoid these kinds of things.


35 posted on 12/20/2008 9:14:53 AM PST by Fido969 ("The hardest thing in the world to understand is income tax." - Albert Einstein)
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To: tom h

I agree with you.


36 posted on 12/20/2008 9:16:28 AM PST by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: SoftballMominVA

“sexual predators go where the children are”

Hormones + an “attractive” girl with hormones and a “possible” crush = a man falling for a possible femme fatale.

Remember Jeanne d’Arc was only 19 when she died, so never discount a determined young woman as at least a willing participant.

In no way does this absolve him of not having adequate willpower, but it doesn’t make him a “sexual predator” or a deviant. It makes him a human with failings.


37 posted on 12/20/2008 9:17:12 AM PST by A Strict Constructionist (The "Road to Surfdom", can it be reversed?)
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To: ElayneJ

People never underestimate the sexuality of a teenage boy but often underestimate the teenage girls. While you can’t excuse the adult in either case, there shouldn’t be such a wide discrepancy in the reaction to these things. Many a guy has been taken in by the coquette or lolita types.


38 posted on 12/20/2008 9:20:23 AM PST by Roamin53 (Islamists kill more people each year in the name of religion than the Inquisition did in 350 years!)
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To: tom h

This is a surprise. I thought innappropriate sexual relationships were limited to the Catholic Churhc. /s


39 posted on 12/20/2008 9:24:57 AM PST by bradthebuilder (War is peace; Ignorance is strength; Freedom is slavery)
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To: A Strict Constructionist

We also, in our society, do not hold teenagers responsible for their actions. The kids know this and know that they will only get a slap on the wrist. The girl needs to be punished also.


40 posted on 12/20/2008 9:27:27 AM PST by RC2
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