A Rancho Cucamonga pastor was arrested this week after a girl came forward to report he began abusing her when she was 9 years old, investigators said Friday.
The pastor at Shiloh Tabernacle Church, 67-year-old Puredi Hillary, was booked into jail Thursday night following a three-month investigation into the allegations, San Bernardino County sheriff’s officials said in a news release.
The victim, now 14, contacted authorities in April to report she was sexually abused between the ages of 9 and 12, the sheriff’s Department said.
Hillary, a Rancho Cucamonga resident, was identified as the suspect. He was arrested on suspicion of continuous sexual abuse of a minor and lewd acts with a child under 14, deputies said.
Authorities did not say whether the victim was a congregant at Hillary’s church, located at 8678 Archibald Ave.
Hillary and his wife, Ruth Hillary, founded the ministry in 2001 and both are certified as apostles by the church, the Shiloh Tabernacle website states.
“God has worked miracles through their hands such as raisings from the dead, healings from various diseases such as cancer, aids, diabetes,” according to the website.
Hillary remained in custody Friday on $350,000 bail and was scheduled to appear in court Monday, inmate records show.
Anyone with information on the case can contact Detective Rachel Young at 909-387-3615.