PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. (AP) — Authorities say a 38-year-old youth pastor at a now defunct South Florida church coerced a girl into having sex with him by threatening to turn her family in to immigration officials.
The SunSentinel reports Luis Clarke assaulted the 15-year-old girl over six months in 2016 and 2017 while he was a part-time youth pastor at Abrazo tu Sueno Church in Pembroke Pines. Clarke was arrested Thursday. He’s charged with 25 counts of sexual battery of a minor and false imprisonment.
Pembroke Pines police Capt. Al Xiques says Clarke once forced a 15-year-old boy to watch him assault the girl. The boy went to police on April 3.
The report says Clarke admitted to two sexual encounters with the girl.
A lawyer for Clark wasn’t listed on jail records.
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