California pastor charged with sexual abuse of children

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department just released information yesterday evening concerning an arrest made last month to encourage other suspected victims to come forward.

On July 21st 40-year-old Jonathan Tsai, now head pastor of “Abundant Life Ministries” (formerly known as "Home of Christians Eastern Los Angeles Church") was arrested on multiple charges concerning sexual assault of a minor while he had served as a youth pastor.

On July 24th Tsai was released from custody on a bond of 1.4 million.

According to the information released by the department, the girl told investigators in January that she had been sexually assaulted by Tsai beginning when she was 12 years old. She told them that "her family became close with the suspect and his family.  During visits to the victim's home, the suspect sexually assaulted the victim.  The sexual abuse continued for approximately six years."

Tsai was charged with four counts of Lewd Acts on a Child Under 14 years Old, one count of Oral Copulation of a Person Under 16, and one count of Sexual Penetration of a Person Under 16.  He is due to be back in court on August 26th.

Investigators with the Special Victims Bureau of the Sheriff's Department have already identified two additional victims and suspect that there are likely others.

Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department SVB toll free tip line at (877) 710-5273 or by email at specialvictimsbureau@lasd.org.

If you prefer to provide information anonymously, you may call "Crime Stoppers" by dialing (800) 222-TIPS (8477), or use your smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” Mobile APP or “P3 Mobile” for the hearing impaired on Google play or the App Store, or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org/

The investigation is ongoing.  Both the West Covina Police Department and the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department Special Victim's Bureau are investigating sexual assaults that happened within their jurisdictions including possible instances of physical abuse of children as well as sexual assaults against adults.