Church youth volunteer charged with molestation

KENNESAW, Ga.,None — Cobb County police have arrested a volunteer who worked with a church youth group on molestation charges.

Channel 2's Amy Napier Viteri spoke with the church and the police chief about the man's arrest.

Police said Cesar Pastrana, 25, confessed to molesting two teenage boys on Friday.

"It became clear in the interview he had engaged in some child molestation involving some people who had been in his home for a church function," said Acworth Police Department Chief Mike Wilkie.

Pastrana served as a ministry volunteer at Northstar Church in Kennesaw.
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Viteri spoke with the communications pastor at the church who did not want to go on camera but gave her a written statement.

According to the statement, Northstar asked Pastrana to leave the ministry after a student accused him of inappropriate conduct during a retreat in a family's home the weekend of Feb. 4.

Wilkie said the investigation is ongoing and they do not believe that was the only incident.

"There were some other places that this occurred," Wilkie said.

Church leadership said they conducted a background check on Pastrana and it came back clean.

Pastrana is charged with two counts of aggravated child molestation and one count of child molestation.

Police told Viteri they expect more charges as they find more victims.

WSBTV