A former teacher from Elim Gaithersburg church in Derwood, Maryland, faces a daunting sentence of up to 55 years in prison after pleading guilty to the sexual abuse of four minors connected to the congregation.
Ervin Alfaro-Lopez, who is 34 years old, admitted guilt to one charge of sex abuse involving a minor, along with three counts of third-degree sexual offenses, as confirmed by the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Details of the Abuse
The abuse took place between 2016 and 2018, targeting children aged 6 to 12 at the time of the incidents.
The investigation was initiated when a now-14-year-old survivor came forward in May 2023, revealing that the abuse occurred during a midnight church service when she was just 6 or 7 years old.
Investigation and Arrest
Authorities learned that Alfaro-Lopez had touched the girl inappropriately while she was seated on his lap, and he had similarly acted with one of her friends.
The mother of the survivor reported that Alfaro-Lopez admitted to abusing her daughter’s friend as well.
As the investigation deepened, two sisters also spoke out, alleging that Alfaro-Lopez had inappropriately touched them during a class while other children were engaged in prayer.
Their father had previously approached a church pastor about the issue, but it seemed to have been handled internally.
Although Alfaro-Lopez was banned from teaching, he made a return to the church before his arrest on March 11, 2024.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 28, where he will learn the consequences of his actions.
Source: Christianpost
